Veterans Day is a special time to pay tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who have served the United States. The cable industry recognizes the importance of helping veterans transition into the workforce and civilian life, and the tremendous talent, skills, and life experiences that they have to contribute. This is why cable providers and programmers work year-round to support veterans and their families through various recruitment, professional development, and transition programs.
Charter is a leading example of a cable provider that continually dedicates efforts and resources towards finding meaningful work for veterans within their ranks, and towards providing them with the training and mentorship they need to succeed. Starting with its recruitment and hiring efforts, Charter hosts and participates in career and job fairs to connect directly with the military community.
But whether through its partnerships with military bases and veterans' organizations, or its own veterans-focused programs, here are a few ways that Charter prioritizes the transitions and well-being of veterans, and goes beyond recruitment and hiring:
- Charter recently increased its tuition assistance for employees to $10,000 per year and expanded its military recruitment efforts to three additional military bases in partnership with the Administration's Infrastructure Pipeline Challenge.
- The Broadband Field Technician Apprentice Program is Charter's certification program where employees gain the specific technical skills they need to become broadband technicians. Charter's veteran employees, if eligible, can also collect GI Bill benefits in addition to their regular paycheck, helping to smooth their transition to civilian life.
"When I was transitioning out of the military, I had none of these skills. Charter provided all of the schooling to be able to do the job."
—Tristan Smith, Charter Field Technician
- The veteran-focused Business Resource Group (BRG) at Charter offers resources to support and engage veterans as they transition into civilian careers, including a mentorship program in which a more experienced veteran at Charter is paired with a less-experienced veteran. Spectrum Veterans Connect is another program that features executives and external speakers who discuss relevant topics.
- Through its partnership with Hiring Our Heroes, Charter offers a 12-week fellowship to transitioning service members and their spouses, where they receive management training and hands-on experience to gain skills and the opportunity to experience the civilian workforce.
- Charter's Spectrum Employee Community Grants (SECG) allows Charter employees to nominate a nonprofit organization where they volunteer and provides critical social services to the community. Since the program's launch in 2019, SECG has distributed more than $1 million in grants to over 300 community-based organizations, including veterans-focused groups like U.S. Vets-Inglewood.
"I heard about the SECG grant, and this year I nominated U.S. Vets. It means a lot to me that Spectrum supported and awarded them a grant because they actually do a lot to help veterans."
—Milo Staley, Maintenance Technician, Spectrum
- Charter has participated in programs such as HISTORY®'s Take a Veteran to School initiative, which connects veterans with school-aged students, giving kids the opportunity to show appreciation towards service men and women. This Veteran’s Day, the History Channel's 'Variety Salute to Service' will highlight Charter's commitment to veterans and feature the story of Milo Staley and his son Joe Staley, both U.S. Navy veterans who are building careers with Charter.
As the nation honors America's heroes, Charter and the cable industry continue their efforts to ensure that veterans find a safe place in the workforce where they are appreciated and afforded opportunities to grow and thrive.