Pilot Provides a Welcoming Environment for Veterans

CSN: What is the SkillBridge program, and why did Pilot decide to get involved?

Tanner: We are very excited about our partnership with the Department of Defense's SkillBridge Program. The program is designed to offer active duty service members who are within the last 180 days, or six months, of service the opportunity to gain civilian job experience before they are transitioned out of the military. It connects service members with different industry partners for real-world experience through training, apprenticeships or internships. At Pilot specifically, we have expanded our program to offer roles across various teams, including operations, logistics, technology, sales and communications, among others in the form of an internship.

As a veteran-founded company, Pilot has had a long history of giving back to veterans' causes, especially as it relates to bringing meaningful career opportunities to service members and their family members. Over the past year, we have made some great progress in growing our veteran-focused recruiting efforts with the goal of really becoming veteran ready. Some of these initiatives have included our team of recruiters who travel to different military bases and events to speak about opportunities at Pilot. We also have our veteran business resource group, which is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and supporting environment for service members, their families and even advocates that are joining the organization.

[Additionally,] we've launched our veteran career page, as well as added military-inclusive language in our job postings. And, of course, SkillBridge gives us an opportunity to meet veterans at a super pivotal moment in their career journey. The program the DOD has built really brings tremendous value to both the partners and participants involved.

CSN: Once a service member comes onboard through the SkillBridge program, what is their experience like from start to finish?

Tanner: We 100% want to ensure service members are set up for success throughout the program and their transition. The SkillBridge Program established at Pilot should be a transformative experience that empowers service members to confidently and successfully transition into rewarding careers outside of the military.

One of the most important and beneficial things that we are doing as an organization is pairing the service members up with a mentor who will guide them throughout the program. These mentors are going to be veterans or, in some cases, reservists who have gone through the transition process themselves, so they can really relate and understand the challenges that veterans are facing that maybe a civilian wouldn't quite understand.

On top of that, we spend time with [program participants] by doing skills development work and gaining practical experience through hands-on work assignments and projects. There are also opportunities to have exposure to different areas of the business and different people within the business through meet-and-greets, coffee chats and other networking opportunities.

CSN: How does this program fit into the larger picture of what Pilot is trying to achieve?

Tanner: First and foremost ... there are so many benefits to hiring veterans. They have spent years becoming experts in their field, growing through the ranks, and they show up literally on day one with the most valuable skills, which is such a gift to any organization, in my opinion.

Aside from that, from a business perspective, the SkillBridge Program not only allows you early access to service members as an employer, but the DOD actually continues to pay the service member their military salary and benefits while they're participating in the program. You know, I hear a lot that that seems too good to be true, but it's actually that awesome and there is no catch. On top of that, there are potential tax credits that organizations can take advantage of.

We are dedicated to veteran recruitment. It's a big part of our identity here at Pilot and it has been since the day we were founded, so I also think it would be a disservice not to mention that we really feel like this program aligns perfectly with Pilot's purpose of showing people they matter at every turn. Pilot welcomes dedicated and skilled individuals, fostering a real sense of belonging, which is absolutely critical and crucial for success.

These veterans, known for their reliability and driven nature among other traits, are given the opportunity to really contribute and have an impact on Pilot's operational excellence as they gain this industry knowledge. And of course, last but not least, the program strengthens Pilot's teams all around, which is so exciting and rewarding.