India Inc. Seeks Defense Veterans to Fill Skills Gap
More often than not, it is their specific job roles while in the Indian Forces that land them such jobs though an overarching sense of discipline also goes a long way
A recently published report pointed out to a trend that’s been prevalent for several decades now, though its timing cannot be questioned. India has finally taken up short service commissions for soldiers, having done so with officers ages ago and the resultant backlask to the government’s announcement has made the front pages and news cycles consistently.
The story is about how India Inc. has been seeking out veterans from our Armed Forces to fill the skill gaps in specific roles. Of course, training private security guards and managing the cohorts has been a more recent phenomenon but enterprises are ready to pay for integrity, sincerity and adaptability.
The more the merrier
Officers of the Indian Army who joined the Short Service Commission found jobs, though these were usually in the area of managing personnel. The article in the ET says the Mahindra Group, RPG, Hero MotoCorp, Sodexo, Maruti Suzuki, Godrej and Boyce are some who have recently increased the intake of army veterans.
And now, it isn’t only about managing large workforces or enforcing discipline as is often falsely assumed. The forces are trained in process orientation and execution from an early age and have good communication skills to be able to acquire and pass on information. “We just explain it to the Colonel and he does the rest,” says the Ops Head of an industrial unit in Bangalore.
“It is actually a win-win situation. The officers themselves want to keep themselves busy while the companies are getting hands that is trained,” says P C Menon, who manages a 3500-strong workforce engaged in industrial security across all the southern states of India. The veterans are never in it for money, it’s just their passion for work and for sharing their knowledge.
And it’s not just about people
The ET report quotes Harsh Goenka of RPG Group to state that defense veterans are always prepared to enter any uncharted territory while working on projects. In fact, the company has a specialized program that helps these veterans choose a professional line and follow-up as they move back into civilian life.
In fact, companies are now expanding the roles of these veterans. From holding personnel supervisory positions in the past, now they are taking up project management roles given their strong communication skills, ability to interact with clients effectively and their instinct for project management, execution and closure of targets.
While some of these veterans invest in their own careers by taking up a Masters in Business Administration, companies don’t really care as they bring practical experience of problem solving which no classroom training can prepare for. Auto, power, manufacturing, aerospace and telecom are some of the sectors that are making a beeline for these veterans.
They manage everything from engineering and machining to strategy, supply chain management, human resources and marketing, not to mention some who are given leadership roles to keep an eagle eye on the company ethics.
