Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Recruited for Jobs in Construction

With open arms, ethical construction companies are welcoming veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who need civilian jobs now that their service to their country has been completed.

For example, thousands of veterans showed up for a job fair in Atlanta last week where the whole idea was to match these men and women with the kinds of careers they’re either already qualified for or could easily get training for.  The Macon Telegraph reported that “around 5,000 job seekers would visit the Georgia Jobs For Veterans Career Expo by the time it ended in the afternoon”.

“It was a no-brainer as far as the skilled labor shortage that we're seeing here,” said Don Cerlanek with MEMCO Solutions, Inc in Atlanta.  “It makes total sense for us to recruit veterans who are interested in a skilled trade.”

Cerlanek said he was a little surprised that there weren’t more construction companies at the job fair for veterans, which was organized in part by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s Office of Workforce Development.  “I don't know where the disconnect is, as far as why more general contractors and subcontractors weren’t there.  We had guys come up to our booth and we told them we could put them to work in the next few days.  They really liked that.”

Cerlanek suggested that as Georgia continues to phase in its E-Verify law, there will probably be more general contractors and subcontractors reaching out to veterans and other legal residents to put them to work.  “Right now many of the workers that perhaps we used to use are being hired as independent subcontractors, as 1099’s, so they’re operating in the underground economy for now.  That misclassification needs to stop,” Cerlanek said.