         | ||||
 | ||||
 | ||||
|
Veterans Translate Skills to Auto Dealerships Contact: For Immediate Release: May 22, 2007 McLean, VA - A new study released today by Auto Retailing Today (ART) reports that the nation's auto dealers hired an estimated total of 30,000 military veterans in the past three years. The study also found there are nearly 109,000 auto dealership vacant positions available. In April 2004, ART joined with the U.S. military to promote dealership careers for recent military veterans, as military experience often provides the technical and management skills that can be translated into successful careers at auto dealerships. The initiative, known as Hire the Heroes, provides links between thousands of auto dealers and military outplacement agencies that list job vacancies designed to attract transitioning veterans. "The pool of recent veterans includes technologically savvy, motivated workers whose skills and military training and certifications are easily adaptable to a variety of dealership positions," said Carter Myers, chairman of Auto Retailing Today and president of Colonial Motors in Charlottesville, Virginia. Many veterans already have the skills and training that are needed to fill the openings in the estimated 45,600 sales positions, 36,500 service positions, 7,600 collision repair openings and 6,400 parts positions. The study, conducted by Harris InteractiveŽ, March 28-April 12, 2007, surveyed 742 franchised new car dealers in the U.S. about the estimated number of employees needed in their dealerships.1 It found that one-third of new car dealerships reported hiring at least one military veteran. "We are pleased to learn about the success of and continued efforts by the automotive retailing industry to hire veterans, which is also the goal of our own Hire Vets First campaign" said Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for Veterans' Employment and Training. "Veterans of America's armed forces have the skills, training and character to meet the toughest challenges and it is important that employers are aware of that." In addition, the study found that an estimated 108,814 vacant positions, ranging from administrative and management to service and sales, are awaiting high-quality candidates at new car dealerships in the U.S. Pay and demand for these auto retailing positions are high, which translates into tremendous job security, opportunities for mobility and great benefits. Veterans with experience in management, technical skills or problem solving may find themselves on the fast-track to an automotive career with great potential for advancement. In an effort to attract transitioning Service members and others to these rewarding, high-paying automotive-related jobs, ART launched a website that details these diverse positions. The website www.autocareerstoday.org serves as the online clearinghouse for the auto industry's career information program, including typical salaries and available training and an understanding of the variety of positions and career paths and their applicable skills. Many recent veterans are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits and the Veterans Administration also includes "On the Job Training" benefits in the GI Bill. Veterans who have left the Service or retired since 1995 are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits. This includes reimbursement for licensing and the cost of taking Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification tests, as well as for technical training. Also, veterans with experience in vehicle maintenance and repair may be eligible for credit towards the hands-on work requirement for technician certification.
About ART About Hire Vets
About Harris InteractiveŽ
| ||||
 | ||||