As T-Mobile commemorates achieving its goal of hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses within a five-year span, leaders from partner organizations Hiring Our Heroes and Blue Star Families emphasize the importance of fostering inclusive workplaces and career pathways. They highlight the significance of ongoing support for military families and discuss key factors contributing to their success.
T-Mobile launched a comprehensive initiative in 2018 aimed at recruiting 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2023, a target they successfully met. Holli Martinez, T-Mobile's Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reflects on the company's journey, underscoring their commitment to providing meaningful career opportunities and skill development for veterans and their families. Collaborating with organizations like Hiring Our Heroes and Blue Star Families played a pivotal role in achieving T-Mobile's hiring objectives and continues to shape the company's strategies for supporting military families.
Eric Eversole, President of Hiring Our Heroes, praises partnerships with companies like T-Mobile for their genuine dedication to hiring veterans and military spouses. He emphasizes the importance of companies demonstrating a sincere interest in connecting with the military community to create employment opportunities.
Penny Bolden, Vice President of Brand Partnerships at Blue Star Families, highlights the evolution of support for military spouses in employment initiatives. She notes the shift in awareness regarding military spouse unemployment and applauds companies like T-Mobile for integrating military spouses into their recruitment and retention efforts based on data insights. Bolden underscores the significance of understanding the unique challenges faced by military families and adapting strategies accordingly.
What do you believe will have the most significant impact on veterans and military spouses' employment in 2024?
Eric: Reflecting on our journey with Hiring Our Heroes and companies like T-Mobile over the past twelve years fills me with pride, but I'm even more optimistic about the future. We're witnessing a profound evolution in our workforce, perhaps one of the most significant in our nation's history. As the nature of work evolves, companies must adapt to remain competitive, and they're increasingly recognizing the value of military talent, veterans, and military spouses as exemplars of excellence. Companies are drawn to the adaptability, resilience, problem-solving abilities, and trainability demonstrated by these individuals. The predominant challenge we face is transitioning to skills-based hiring, an area where veterans and military spouses are leading the way.
Penny: Our goal is to amplify the message to our military spouse community that certain organizations have taken the time to deeply understand their unique challenges. From the perspective of hiring military spouses, we spotlight companies like T-Mobile that offer stability and a sense of belonging to a demographic facing distinct hurdles. Military spouses, who relocate every two to three years, often struggle to maintain employment continuity and career advancement due to frequent job changes and potential resume gaps. Many companies are unaware of these needs or have not conducted sufficient research to adjust their practices. By showcasing T-Mobile as one of the pioneers in addressing these challenges, we aim to inspire other companies to take similar actions.
Can you share any noteworthy experiences or moments from your collaboration with T-Mobile?
Eric: T-Mobile hosted an event with us alongside the Washington Nationals baseball team last autumn. It marked the first occasion I'm aware of where a Major League Baseball team focused specifically on providing employment opportunities for military spouses. We invited influential leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by military spouses, followed by concerted efforts to assist them in securing employment. T-Mobile's support and spotlight on the military spouse community during this event were immensely impactful. The stories of veterans and military spouses finding employment with T-Mobile resonate powerfully.
Penny: I had the pleasure of meeting numerous T-Mobile representatives during a home makeover event we organized. T-Mobile sponsored an episode of "Moving with the Military," which aired on various streaming platforms throughout November 2023 and gained coverage in USA Today and Humankind. Over three consecutive days, forty volunteers from T-Mobile participated enthusiastically. T-Mobile's culture is palpable, and when a company authentically embodies such values in its hiring practices, it demonstrates a genuine commitment to its culture. We're currently collaborating with T-Mobile's Military & Diversity Recruiting team on talent acquisition, and we have three upcoming events this year to express our gratitude. It's about reciprocating and demonstrating that this brand genuinely cares.
Given the discouraging unemployment statistics, particularly for military spouses, how do you perceive companies like T-Mobile pledging to hire veterans and military spouses?
Eric: The key question is how we foster a culture of inclusivity within our companies that makes everyone feel valued and part of a team. T-Mobile excels in this aspect due to its robust training programs and career advancement opportunities, enabling individuals to build enduring careers while aligning with the company's mission and values. This sense of commitment to the company, its leaders, and fellow teammates is crucial for our military community. They seek to be part of something larger than themselves, and companies like T-Mobile cultivate that sense of belonging.
Penny: Historically, intentions may have been perceived as merely fulfilling a checkbox to demonstrate support for the military. However, when companies like T-Mobile step forward and demonstrate a genuine understanding of the needs and challenges faced by our community, it resonates profoundly.
T-Mobile launched a comprehensive initiative in 2018 aimed at recruiting 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2023, a target they successfully met. Holli Martinez, T-Mobile's Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reflects on the company's journey, underscoring their commitment to providing meaningful career opportunities and skill development for veterans and their families. Collaborating with organizations like Hiring Our Heroes and Blue Star Families played a pivotal role in achieving T-Mobile's hiring objectives and continues to shape the company's strategies for supporting military families.
Eric Eversole, President of Hiring Our Heroes, praises partnerships with companies like T-Mobile for their genuine dedication to hiring veterans and military spouses. He emphasizes the importance of companies demonstrating a sincere interest in connecting with the military community to create employment opportunities.
Penny Bolden, Vice President of Brand Partnerships at Blue Star Families, highlights the evolution of support for military spouses in employment initiatives. She notes the shift in awareness regarding military spouse unemployment and applauds companies like T-Mobile for integrating military spouses into their recruitment and retention efforts based on data insights. Bolden underscores the significance of understanding the unique challenges faced by military families and adapting strategies accordingly.
What do you believe will have the most significant impact on veterans and military spouses' employment in 2024?
Eric: Reflecting on our journey with Hiring Our Heroes and companies like T-Mobile over the past twelve years fills me with pride, but I'm even more optimistic about the future. We're witnessing a profound evolution in our workforce, perhaps one of the most significant in our nation's history. As the nature of work evolves, companies must adapt to remain competitive, and they're increasingly recognizing the value of military talent, veterans, and military spouses as exemplars of excellence. Companies are drawn to the adaptability, resilience, problem-solving abilities, and trainability demonstrated by these individuals. The predominant challenge we face is transitioning to skills-based hiring, an area where veterans and military spouses are leading the way.
Penny: Our goal is to amplify the message to our military spouse community that certain organizations have taken the time to deeply understand their unique challenges. From the perspective of hiring military spouses, we spotlight companies like T-Mobile that offer stability and a sense of belonging to a demographic facing distinct hurdles. Military spouses, who relocate every two to three years, often struggle to maintain employment continuity and career advancement due to frequent job changes and potential resume gaps. Many companies are unaware of these needs or have not conducted sufficient research to adjust their practices. By showcasing T-Mobile as one of the pioneers in addressing these challenges, we aim to inspire other companies to take similar actions.
Can you share any noteworthy experiences or moments from your collaboration with T-Mobile?
Eric: T-Mobile hosted an event with us alongside the Washington Nationals baseball team last autumn. It marked the first occasion I'm aware of where a Major League Baseball team focused specifically on providing employment opportunities for military spouses. We invited influential leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by military spouses, followed by concerted efforts to assist them in securing employment. T-Mobile's support and spotlight on the military spouse community during this event were immensely impactful. The stories of veterans and military spouses finding employment with T-Mobile resonate powerfully.
Penny: I had the pleasure of meeting numerous T-Mobile representatives during a home makeover event we organized. T-Mobile sponsored an episode of "Moving with the Military," which aired on various streaming platforms throughout November 2023 and gained coverage in USA Today and Humankind. Over three consecutive days, forty volunteers from T-Mobile participated enthusiastically. T-Mobile's culture is palpable, and when a company authentically embodies such values in its hiring practices, it demonstrates a genuine commitment to its culture. We're currently collaborating with T-Mobile's Military & Diversity Recruiting team on talent acquisition, and we have three upcoming events this year to express our gratitude. It's about reciprocating and demonstrating that this brand genuinely cares.
Given the discouraging unemployment statistics, particularly for military spouses, how do you perceive companies like T-Mobile pledging to hire veterans and military spouses?
Eric: The key question is how we foster a culture of inclusivity within our companies that makes everyone feel valued and part of a team. T-Mobile excels in this aspect due to its robust training programs and career advancement opportunities, enabling individuals to build enduring careers while aligning with the company's mission and values. This sense of commitment to the company, its leaders, and fellow teammates is crucial for our military community. They seek to be part of something larger than themselves, and companies like T-Mobile cultivate that sense of belonging.
Penny: Historically, intentions may have been perceived as merely fulfilling a checkbox to demonstrate support for the military. However, when companies like T-Mobile step forward and demonstrate a genuine understanding of the needs and challenges faced by our community, it resonates profoundly.