By Scott Canada, EVP of renewable energy and storage, McCarthy Building Companies
While staffing shortages have impacted the construction industry for decades and worsened in recent years, large-scale solar EPC contractors like McCarthy Building Companies have found success recruiting U.S. military veterans who, in turn, are streamlining solar installation and construction processes by creating efficiencies through logistics.
Military veterans are a segment of the labor force that deserves attention and are helping to fill gaps. Vets currently make up about 7% of the construction workforce, and approximately 200,000 vets transition out of the military each year. The appeal for hiring veterans includes a unique set of hard and soft skills as well as attitudinal characteristics that make them great new hires and leaders in construction.
Because of McCarthy’s veteran-focused efforts, the company’s current workforce comprises approximately 10% veterans. These men and women are filling various roles, including entry level, craft and journeyman, operations, logistics, safety, quality control and management. Because of their military training and experience, veterans tend to have a strong sense of discipline, focus, team-orientation, and leadership.
Military experience improves solar construction processes
At McCarthy, we know that technical skills can be taught, but other valuable soft skills are not learned as easily. Since many veterans already bring these skills, they are ideal employees and apply knowledge they gained in the military to solar construction, which is helping to create new and more efficient processes.
Steve Manning, senior logistics manager for McCarthy’s renewable energy team, is a 22-year Air Force veteran who joined McCarthy in 2021 after a military career as an aircraft mechanic.
“My successful transition into the solar construction industry is directly related to leveraging the soft skills I learned in the military. Being self-accountable, setting high personal standards, and exceeding expectations have been engrained in me since I first enlisted,” Manning said. “Additionally, developing emotional intelligence is critical in the military as it requires that you can effectively communicate with people from all walks of life and, in turn, is a skill that has aided me in connecting with our project teams in the field.”
Manning is part of a five-member logistics team for solar projects across the United States that is currently comprised of all former military members. They are tasked with creating, developing and executing logistics plans that increase efficiencies, mitigate expenditures and improve processes.
“We’re involved in the entire lifecycle of a project, including workforce mobilization and demobilization, training on tooling and equipment, and tracking and handling of onsite material,” Manning said. “We’ve been given the freedom to test out new strategies, processes and technology in the field, with the end goal of scaling our operations to support the rapid growth of the industry and operate at maximum efficiency. It’s a skill that is valued in the military, and it transfers very well to our work on solar projects.”
McCarthy recognizes that the dynamics of solar construction are very similar to manufacturing, and with every improvement to the process we can improve workflow, quality, schedule and make projects better for everyone involved. We are continually striving to add value for our clients and for our project teams. McCarthy’s logistics team, which is led by veterans, is helping to do exactly that, and it has been really exciting to see.
Open-minded approach creates opportunities
Erica Gilliland, director of craft recruiting for McCarthy, believes it’s important to have an open-minded approach to recruiting. “Veterans bring a range of skills, and sometimes their resumes aren’t easy for civilians to read and understand,” she says. “We’ve found that by taking time to talk to an individual and better understand their full skillset, you are going to be more likely to find an opportunity for them that may not have been apparent from reading their resume.”
Manning found McCarthy after being accepted into the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, which was implemented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to assist transitioning service members in finding post-military employment.
The program receives approximately 2,500 applicants per cohort (three cohorts per calendar year), with only about 20% being accepted to a 12-week internship. Most participants have extensive leadership and team-building experience, are flexible and willing to learn, and hold at least a post-secondary degree. Additionally, upwards of 86% of Hiring Our Heroes graduates obtain full-time employment through the program.
“When I applied to the program, I did not have construction on my radar. I thought I’d end up with Boeing or Lockheed Martin due to my aircraft mechanic experience in the Air Force,” Manning said. “However, my interview with McCarthy’s renewable energy leaders got me excited about a career in solar construction, and the culture here is a great fit for me.”
Aspen Doran is another Hiring Our Heroes graduate who transitioned to a role as a senior project engineer on McCarthy’s solar design management team. After graduating from West Point in 2016 with a degree in environmental engineering, she spent six years working as a medical service officer for the U.S. Army.
Doran credits the military with instilling the ability to be flexible as the top skill she uses in her role at McCarthy. “We like to call it the ‘solarcoaster’ because things change rapidly with solar projects. Adaptability is key,” Doran said. “Additionally, the teamwork and camaraderie forged in the military are also transferable to solar construction, as well as the desire to learn new things.”
Apprenticeship and training programs create new career paths
McCarthy partners with organizations like Hiring Our Heroes that are already successful in this space and have the ability to reach vets, and we encourage others to do the same. In addition, McCarthy works with Adaptive Construction Solutions (ACS), a veteran-owned staffing organization that offers an accredited apprenticeship program.
The program is free for veterans and each apprentice builds skills through the combination of on-the-job training, mentorship and technical instruction. The curriculum is designed to help veterans understand and develop the skills and knowledge essential to be successful on construction projects. Successful apprentices are eligible to be hired full time and continue to work with McCarthy on solar projects around the country.
Anthony Pickens, senior logistics manager for McCarthy’s renewable energy team, retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army after his 24-year military career ended due to medical concerns. A connection with ACS in his home state of Texas led him to McCarthy in 2021.
“At first I thought there was no way I’d be a good fit in the construction industry – I didn’t build bridges or pave roads in the military,” Pickens said. “But when I sat down with leadership, they breathed life into the job description. It’s a great mix of office and field work, there is always a challenge and things are never routine.”
Pickens adds he would encourage other veterans who would never consider a career in construction to have an open mind. “Military members have a purpose, and with the solar and renewable energy field, you can have a new purpose that you can be proud to be a part of.”
It is clear to us at McCarthy that veterans offer a strategic advantage to the construction and renewable energy industries. In recent years, our renewable energy and storage team has hired and trained numerous veterans and is actively engaging with more men and women returning to civilian life from military service to help them find their place on our team. Growing with veterans has proven to be rewarding and beneficial, particularly as we embrace the unique experience, perspective and innovations these individuals are bringing to our industry.
Scott Canada is Executive Vice President of Renewable Energy and Storage at McCarthy Building Companies. He can be contacted at BCanada@McCarthy.com.
Solarman says
“Because of McCarthy’s veteran-focused efforts, the company’s current workforce comprises approximately 10% veterans. These men and women are filling various roles, including entry level, craft and journeyman, operations, logistics, safety, quality control and management. Because of their military training and experience, veterans tend to have a strong sense of discipline, focus, team-orientation, and leadership.”
Easier to “build teams” when you have a group that has been part of a team that realizes that really tough times and really tough tasks, folks that don’t necessarily agree on (all) aspects of each other’s lives, they will always have your “six”. The focus on the goal is the focus of the team. Proven and hardened in training and combat, THANK YOU for your service, twice.
Richard Lawrence says
To learn more about the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Felllowship, registered apprenticeships, and other strategies for attracting and retaining veteran talent – join the Solar Ready Vetereans Network: solarreadyveterans.org
Steve Ulrich says
Mentioning other dealers/installers using Veterans would have been more genuine, instead of coming across like a fluff piece for McCarthy, of whom I respect.
Take a look at Semper Solaris and see that they not only are owned and operated and still hiring Vets, they also GIVE AWAY FREE (Free Parts and labor) entire solar systems to deserving vets 3 times a year, every year. Go to: https://www.sempersolaris.com/semper-cares-initiative/
Good on-you Steve McCarthy and thank you for your service. There are more just like you, lets give them the love they have earned.