It comes as no surprise to anyone in the drilling industry that we face a shortage of skilled-trade labor. It may surprise you, however, to hear that many veterans transitioning from military service don’t know anything about our industry! I call that a shame. Veterans learn fast, adapt to challenging situations, and are no strangers to hard work and dedication — ideal candidates for driller roles. So how can your organization tap into this talent pool?
Often, we assume a good driller candidate has drilled before, but that isn’t necessary the case. Drillers are made. Many veterans have transferable skills can ease their transition into successful drillers. “Transferable” skills, of course, are qualities easily transferred from one job to another or abilities that a person can find relevant use for in different careers.