Working with veterans to create a more dynamic future workforce

There is a skills gap in our industry – it’s reported that more than two million technical roles could go unfilled in coming years due to a lack of skilled workers. Meanwhile, the industry itself is busier than ever before, so it’s critical to proactively recruit and build awareness about available career paths and provide opportunities and support to valuable candidates with diverse backgrounds and experience, including veterans.

Johnson Controls takes an active role in the Veterans in Piping (VIP) Program. A result of the partnership between The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) and the U.S. military, the VIP program seeks to engage members of the military during their service and encourages them to seek technical careers upon completion and transition back to civilian life. The VIP is an accelerated program designed to prepare students for the rigors of a traditional Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) apprenticeship. Veterans who take advantage of the program benefit from free career skills training, industry-recognized certifications, direct entry into a UA apprenticeship and guaranteed job placement at a company such as Johnson Controls.

We are proud to be a part of this initiative, and as employers have engaged in proactive outreach to those involved in the program, providing opportunities to utilize skills they may already be learning. Since November 2017, Johnson Controls has a 53% attainment rate of VIP candidates, and the company hired 80% of the most recent graduating class. The program solidifies participant’s skill sets and prepares them to effectively meet the demands of the rapidly changing HVAC industry for a promising and fulfilling career.

Johnson Controls pursues all prospective employees with the goal of staffing to best meet the needs of our customers. Many of those who have served in the military have proven success in the technical industry and are a key part in helping to build the technical workforce of the future. We look forward to continuing to work with veterans to shape the future of the industry, drive development, and implement technologies in buildings and cities throughout the country.