ARLINGTON, Va. — The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC of America) announced that it is joining the national Hiring Our Heroes program as part of the construction industry’s effort to add 100,000 veterans over the next five years. The new partnership will make it easier for construction contractors to find, recruit, and hire veterans, association officials said.

“The only thing keeping many of our members from hiring vets is figuring out how to find them,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. He noted that the partnership will give member firms access to job fairs and other recruiting tools operated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program.

The partnership comes at a time when two-thirds of construction firms report having a hard time finding skilled workers to fill positions. The partnership with Hiring Our Heroes will make it easier for firms to fill vacancies with qualified workers and will be a key part of the association’s Workforce Development Plan.

“Construction firms are always eager to hire veterans because they make such great professionals,” Sandherr said. “As the economy continues to expand our members will be looking to hire even more veterans than they already do.”

Sandherr added that construction firms already hire a significant number of veterans, noting that veterans are more likely to be hired in construction than non-veterans, according to federal employment data. But he added that many firms report having a hard time figuring out how to identify soldiers, sailors, and airmen that are about to leave active duty and enter the private-sector workforce.

The association will begin distributing information to its members and state and local chapters about the new partnership, Sandherr said, and help recruit expanding construction firms to participate in job fairs and other hiring events organized by Hiring Our Heroes.

For more information, visit www.agc.org.

Publication date: 6/23/2014

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