Spirit AeroSystems — based in Wichita, Kan. — has partnered with SkillBridge, a U.S Department of Defense (DoD) program for service members planning to reenter civilian life after military service.
With approval from the DoD, SkillBridge participants take part in 151–180-day employment skills training focused on production at one of Spirit AeroSystems’ facilities in Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, or Texas.
“Transitioning to civilian life can be very difficult,” said Spirit AeroSystems Human Resources Manager of Workforce Strategy Tammy Ingle. “SkillBridge is geared toward giving service members the essential skills they need to come into a job and acclimate to civilian expectations. The hope is that, at the end of the program, both the company and the candidates find it’s a good fit for permanent employment.”
Spirit AeroSystems in February welcomed its first SkillBridge candidate, Drew Wilson (shown). Wilson joined the aerospace manufacturer after 20 years of service in the United States Air Force where he worked as a maintenance production manager on the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Wilson will serve as a manager on Spirit’s propulsion team.
The Spirit AeroSystems Human Resources team shared the company’s enthusiasm about Wilson accepting the job offer and spoke of the importance and mutual benefit of the SkillBridge program for both Spirit and SkillBridge participants.
“I think of it like an internship of sorts,” said Spirit AeroSystems Human Resources Manager of Pipeline Development Alex Hamel. “They get to come try out the company while they’re still in the military, we get to try out the person for up to six months. If they want to commit, they already have six months under their belt. If not, they haven’t lost time. They’re still getting paid through the DoD getting the same benefits and they have some additional work experience they can take wherever they decide they want to go.”
Spirit AeroSystems also has an employee business resource group called Spirit Employees, Reservists & Veterans (SERVE). Since Spring 2020, SERVE has worked to unite veterans groups at the company’s U.S. locations to help recruit, retain, and recognize military veterans and reservists.
One example of SERVE’s efforts was its creation of the military veteran and reservist buddy program, pairing new hires from the military with other employee military veterans or reservist who serve as guides to ease their transition from military service to civilian life.
Spirit AeroSystems IT Manager of Defense & Space Sara Hedrich says she found leaving the U.S. Army difficult, so she made what she calls a “half-step” into civilian life. Hedrich’s first job was in defense contracting.
“You’re still around military people, but you’re just on the other side where you don’t have to wear your uniform every day,” Hedrich shared.
After working as a civilian in cybersecurity and defense for several years, Hedrich now helps her fellow military colleagues as co-chair of SERVE. She says the resources provided offer a “half step” (like the one she took) into civilian life.
“We have a lot of veterans already working in our defense programs,” Hedrich said. “That means new hires from the military will have a support system in place who understands their service.”
SERVE on Veterans Day hosted a celebration to recognize the military service of Spirit AeroSystems’ employees. The event, held at the company’s Wichita headquarters, brought Spirit leaders and employees together with eight U.S. Air Force Colonels from McConnel Air Force Base.
“The SERVE team is just amazing,” Ingle explains. “Many of the individuals on the SERVE team are veterans. For veterans navigating civilian job life, having those people to go lean into to assist them and have conversations with is very critical. SERVE makes an impact not only internally but also through the external events they participate in for the military communities and veterans.”
Service members, veterans and reservists can learn more about SERVE, Spirit AeroSystems, career opportunities, and access the SkillBridge program at www.spiritaero.com/careers/veterans.
