Life Beyond Drill Boots: 5 Sectors in which Veterans Ace

In the wake of Indian Air Force day, celebrated nationwide on 08 October, let's delve into a comprehensive analysis of the diverse roles spanning various sectors where our Armed Forces veterans can make a meaningful contribution with their expertise and experience.

It is a known fact that no organisation can match the scale of diversity and inclusion of our Indian Armed Forces, so when a company recruits veterans, they are not only fulfilling their obligation to promote diversity and inclusion within the company but are also obtaining resources that have been forged with grit and tenacity, and are imbued with core values of inclusion. The immense potential of these battle-hardened human resources is much more than what we currently perceive. 

Veteran hires certainly bring their ‘Fauji ethos’ with them, but that’s not all they have to offer. It is high time India Inc. looked beyond just security, admin, and general governance roles for these personnel. Officers and Persons Below Officer Rank (PBORs) are capable of more than earlier estimated. Here are men and women trained in absolute specific domains like engineering, logistics, Information Technology, accountancy, law, school and college administration, etc. Goes without saying these are apart from the general qualities like leadership, critical thinking, emergency handling, prompt decision making skills that they all bring to the table by default. 

At Careernet Prism, we work towards finding jobs for Armed Forces veterans that befit their education, experience, and expertise. Jobs they can be proud of and thrive at.

Here are a few fields we have come to observe that veterans are great at:

School and College Administration

It is a global reality that a country's children and youth determine its future. If we want to build a truly inclusive society, we must impart such principles to our children during their academic years, as this is when their core values are formed. And who better to lead them on this road than our veterans, who not only have great values but also excellent leadership abilities, discipline, and the ability to lead by example?

The ranks of the Indian armed forces can be effortlessly integrated into civil school and college administration, with positions ranging from entry-level Lieutenants for roles like school coordinators to top-ranking Generals and Admirals for higher administrative positions like university chancellors.

Healthcare 

When it comes to medical services—whether general medicine, surgery, or any other—military hospitals in this country are the most reliable organisations that military families and civilians alike respect. The reason for this is their extreme dedication to giving the best service possible, as well as their keen eye for details and quick responses during emergencies. We have medical professionals, nursing officers, paramedics and medical technicians, psychologists and counsellors, and others who have worked in hospitals as well as on battlefields where resources are limited and they must act quickly and accurately to save lives. 

By merging these doctors and nurses into civil hospitals and emergency response services, our public health care system will immensely benefit from their experience and ethics.

Port and Shipping 

Seafaring is one of the most difficult yet exciting jobs; you never know what you'll come across in the deep blue, which is why our veterans are such a good fit for the port and shipping industries. The Indian armed services provide a variety of levels and posts that hone essential abilities in this discipline. 

Naval officers have knowledge of marine operations, logistics, and safety, which qualifies them for positions in port administration and cargo handling. Coast guard officers have experience in marine law enforcement, safety, and regulations, making them qualified for jobs in port security and compliance. Army officers from the Engineering Corps can help with port infrastructure development and maintenance, while Air Force officers with logistics backgrounds can oversee supply chains within the industry or work in maritime aviation roles like piloting cargo planes or helicopters for maritime transport and rescue operations.

Project Management

Our veterans are no strangers to the five stages of project management, i.e., initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing, as a result of their experience handling vital projects during their service. This experience makes it seamless for them to transition into a project management role. Furthermore, there are officer ranks in the Indian armed forces with skills that are easily transferable to project management roles, ranging from entry-level Lieutenants with adaptability and organisational skills suitable for junior project management positions to high-ranking Generals and Admirals with strategic vision and expertise suitable for managing large-scale projects. These officers contribute a diverse set of talents, including skilled leadership and team management honed under duress, quick decision-making and adaptation in dynamic circumstances, risk assessment and mitigation, and efficient resource allocation.

Furthermore, If a veteran wishes to pursue a certification such as PMP or PRINCE2, their service experience can be recognised as professional development units, which are required for these certifications.

Engineering 

The Indian armed forces provide a competent manpower pool that can integrate effortlessly into the engineering sector. Officers with construction and project management experience in the Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Engineers proficient in shipbuilding and marine engineering, and Air Force technical officers educated in aviation technology are also available. Signal Corps officers have an understanding of communication systems, while Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) officers have knowledge of their respective professions. Radar technicians and aircraft maintenance engineers, for example, offer essential capabilities for civilian sectors. During their tenure in the military, their skills are tested and honed in the most difficult conditions. Consider the engineering abilities required to build a bridge in a war-torn or flood-affected area, to handle the security of the most sensitive and critical data, or to deal with heavy machinery on and off the field where the stakes are high and there is no room for error.

So, as an employer the next time you're considering hiring a veteran, remember that their utility and potential go far beyond roles that encompass just HR, admin, and security.