Returning vets to get agriculture training

The unemployment ratio of returning veterans is higher than the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. Currently it stands around 12 percent. Enter AgWarriors.

Based in Tulare, Calif., the organization is committed to identifying, training and placing veterans with an interest in and aptitude for agriculture in jobs, said Stacey Beachy, AgWarriors co-founder.

"We believe the agriculture industry community is well suited to provide jobs to many returning soldiers," Beachy said. "Many of our friends in agriculture have expressed a need for bright, motivated and hard-working individuals to join their teams. AgWarriors will be the conduit that connects employers with veterans in search of careers in agriculture."

At the heart of the program, which started in late 2011, is the Veteran Skills to Jobs Act and the Wall Street War Fighters Foundation. The foundation grew from the idea that, given the opportunity, service-disabled veterans will excel in a work environment.

The AgWarriors program includes classes, field work, tests, mentorship and internships. The goal, Beachy said, is to expose returning veterans to the broader aspects of agriculture as a career after the military.

To be eligible, applicants must be returning veterans, able to commit to six months of full-time training and pass a background check. More importantly, they must be motivated to take on the rigors of agriculture, Beachy said.

All of the candidates will be reviewed to see if they have a college degree in a related field, which is preferred, but not required. They must demonstrate commitment to their educational and career goals and will be asked to submit an essay outlining their goals. If they have any personal recommendations, they are encouraged to submit those as well.

"The U.S. military has invested millions of dollars creating a large, highly skilled, motivated and dependable workforce with an almost unfathomably wide variety of skill sets applicable to supporting agribusiness," Beachy said. "Many of these veterans are suited for bright futures in agriculture, but are unaware of the opportunities or retraining available to help them make the transition."

AgWarriors officially kicked off at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., Feb. 15, with former president George W. Bush as keynote speaker.

For more information, visit www.agwarriors.com.

By Derrek Sigler, Assistant Editor