The initiative has the dual purpose of helping qualified military veterans who are seeking work in the civilian sector and of combating the trucking industry’s chronic shortage of qualified service technicians and other highly trained professionals.
“Veterans returning to the civilian workforce are well trained and highly experienced, and typically have many personal qualities our dealers are looking for, including drive, responsibility and the ability to get the job done,” says Joe Kory, Navistar senior vice president, aftersales. “We believe this new initiative will provide a service to both these veterans and the dealers who are seeking qualified candidates.”
Navistar’s Service Allies Initiative will be managed by the VetFirst Solutions Group, a leadership consulting and training firm that has strong qualifications for providing excellent connections between military veterans and the company’s dealer networks, according to an announcement.
VetFirst has partnered with professional military associations and military bases to connect military veterans with International Truck and IC Bus dealers nationwide. The firm also has leveraged existing relationships with relevant organizations, including SFL-TAP (Soldier-for-Life – Transition Assistance Program), Base TSM (Transition Service Managers), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Hiring Our Heroes” program to provide the connections needed.
The initiative is positioned to offer multiple types of opportunities to qualified veterans, including:
Military Credit Program: This International Truck accepted/approved service training and credit curriculum offers credit for certain levels of International Truck-required technician training given to military mechanics utilizing existing curriculum from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
Internships: Implementing veteran internships with military installations and International Truck dealerships around the country allows service managers to start job shadowing up to 180 days from transition date at International Truck dealerships at no payroll cost to dealers for the internship. The program will coordinate with International Truck and the DOD SkillBridge Program for internship approval and documentation.
Direct Placement: Some veterans may already be fully qualified service technicians, in which case the program may be able to place them directly with International Truck and IC Bus dealers, reducing training expense and increasing customer uptime.
“We are excited by the opportunity to partner with our dealers to facilitate opportunities for the many highly qualified military veterans who are seeking jobs in the U.S.,” Kory says. “The trucking business is among the most military-friendly industries and our dealers will welcome the chance to hire experienced technicians, while having the satisfaction of supporting veterans who have served their country by offering them a career.”
