As Memorial Day weekend approaches, we are reminded to honor the fallen, reflect on soldiers’ courage, and express gratitude for the freedoms they defended. Our duty to those who served extends beyond remembrance; just as we recognize their past contributions, we must commit to supporting and investing in the futures of those that return home.
Each year, nearly 200,000 service members transition back into civilian life. It’s a journey often fraught with challenges — like translating unique military experiences into civilian terms, navigating different workplace cultures, and simply finding a foothold in a competitive job market.
Shockingly, only one in four veterans has a job lined up upon his or her return. The National Library of Medicine reported that an increasingly common concern of transitioning servicemembers is financial security. While the challenges veterans face during their transition have been frequently debated by policymakers, the focus must shift towards actionable opportunities. As our workplaces enter a time of change in a new technological era, we have an immense opportunity and obligation to forge new pathways to economic mobility for our veterans.
Lest we forget, veterans already bring invaluable skills to the table through their military experience — leadership, discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Yet translating these strengths into the multitude of skills required in the modern workplace can be a hurdle. This is where training and preparing veterans through GI Bill-approved programs becomes critical.
The technology sector, for instance, represents a promising pathway, as many veterans already possess foundational IT experience from their service. Tech careers often offer competitive wages, opportunities for growth, and increasingly, remote or flexible schedules that can be crucial for military families accustomed to relocation or deployment adjustments.
Empowering veterans to seize these opportunities requires providing them with access to up-to-date training and knowledge aligned with industry needs in fast-growing fields like cybersecurity or IT support.
Equally important is mastering the skills essential for navigating the civilian workplace. Even something as simple as learning how to present oneself professionally, update a resume effectively, and interview for jobs can provide newfound comfort and confidence — skills just as vital as hands-on technical training, which we can also provide.
This holistic approach, offering no-cost rigorous technical instruction with dedicated professional development (communication, collaboration, career navigation), has resulted in more than 1,000 military members earning their certifications in CompTIA A+ and Google IT Support.
Investing in these comprehensive initiatives isn’t only the right thing to do; it’s an economic imperative. By 2026, an IT skills shortage will become a significant problem for most organizations globally. As technological advancements seem to occur daily, more and more companies will need to rely on nimble training programs to retain competent staffing. So why not tap into the untapped pool of military veteran candidates? When veterans secure well-paying jobs, they not only support their families, but they also contribute their immense talent and dedication to our economy, strengthening our communities and our nation.
This Memorial Day, as we give thanks to those who gave their all, let us also recommit ourselves to supporting those who have returned. Let us champion and invest in effective programs that recognize past accomplishments and future potential, equipping our veterans with both the technical and professional skills needed to not just find a job, but to build a sustainable civilian career. It is a fitting tribute to their service and assisting veterans in positively shaping our shared, dynamic future.
Debbie Roman is managing director of Per Scholas New York. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., a Democrat, represents the 15th District in the New York State Senate.
