Veterans who transition to civilian life bring a wealth of expertise and experience that’s easily transferable to the corporate world. When you think about it, the military operates similarly to a large corporation with its vast ecosystem of departments and roles. Veterans possess skill sets from their roles in functions such as engineering, communications, logistics, finance, legal, HR and recruiting, healthcare, data analysis and social work.
Equinix believes that veterans bring dedication and team spirit, and we’re committed to making them feel welcome and supported in their new roles. We hire veterans across all areas of our business and participate in programs outside our company that introduce career and training opportunities to veterans.
Together, Equinix and Verizon recognize veterans worldwide
Each year on November 11, we honor the sacrifices and service of the brave and dedicated armed forces members who served their countries over the years. Veterans Day in the U.S. recognizes all American veterans who served in the armed forces during peace and conflict. In various Commonwealth countries, including the U.K. and Canada, Remembrance Day commemorates the armed forces members who died in the line of duty, especially during World War I.
In honor of these two holidays, Equinix and Verizon will jointly host a LinkedIn Live event: Guiding Principles: A Veterans’ Event on Leadership and Values. On Tuesday, November 14, from 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. EST / 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. GMT, we’ll recognize veterans worldwide, and our speaker panel will share insights on leadership, integrity and the values shaped by their service. Lauren Schulz, Head of Communications, Verizon Business and retired U.S. Marine, will moderate the discussion with the following participants:
- Kyle Malady, CEO, Verizon Business and executive sponsor for Verizon VALOR, Verizon’s employee resource group dedicated to supporting the military community
- Scott Crenshaw, EVP and GM of Digital Services, Equinix and Veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard as well as executive sponsor of VetConnect, Equinix’s military employee resource group
- Jayla McPherson, Program Senior Associate, Equinix and Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps
- Tetoya Gibson, Crisis Response Manager, Verizon Business and Veteran of the U.S. Air Force
We hope you join us live on Tuesday, November 14, or listen to the session recording available on Verizon’s LinkedIn page.
Pursue career ambitions in a supportive environment
Those who have served in the military are not only seeking the right career opportunities; they want to work for companies with a demonstrated culture of trust and camaraderie. Equinix Employee Connection Networks (EECNs) are one of the ways we help ensure that diversity, inclusion and belonging remain ingrained in our culture. In 2020, we formed the VetConnect EECN to bring together veterans, military family members and their allies so they could say, “I’m safe, I belong, and I matter.” We’re proud to say that our members are thriving in this network because there’s a familiar sense of community, like what they experienced in the military.
Those who served in the military are some of the most highly trained, experienced and dedicated people in the job market today. In addition to their function-specific skills, they’re great leaders and team players, they know when to listen and let someone else lead and they possess critical problem-solving skills. That’s why our Pathways Military Program is such a valuable talent pool for roles across the company. More than 50% of military hires join the Equinix operations team. We provide comprehensive training to veterans pursuing a career as a technician or engineer in the private sector. Year to date, in 2023, we’ve hired more than 120 people globally with a military background.
Next, we’re launching a military mentor program through the combined support of VetConnect and the Equinix SkillBridge teams. SkillBridge is a 4-to-6-month fellowship program paid for entirely by the U.S. Department of Defense. SkillBridge Fellows, who are highly trained veterans with stellar leadership skills, can transition to roles with approved organizations across the U.S. At Equinix, SkillBridge fellows are matched with a member of the VetConnect team to help guide and lead them throughout their program.
“The SkillBridge program has so much untapped talent. The types of technical roles that Equinix is looking to fill every day are pretty much the same roles that the military recruits for every day.”
– Alexis Coon, Senior Associate Technology Program Manager, Equinix IT Project Management Team
To grow our military hiring program globally, we’ve invested in partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions with organizations that support veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce, including:
- Career Transition Partnership (CTP) in the UK: Over 14,000 skilled and experienced individuals leave the UK Armed Forces annually. Equinix collaborates with the UK Ministry of Defense’s official resettlement provider to offer ongoing support and employment opportunities to those leaving the Royal Navy, Army and Air Force as they transition from military to civilian life.
- Soldier On in Australia: This nonprofit works closely with the Australian Government, the Defense Industry and the broader Ex-Service Organization (ESO) community. As a partner, Equinix commits to helping Australian Defence Force veterans and their families to thrive by engaging with the veteran community, recognizing veterans’ high-level skills and providing supportive workplaces.
We’re proud of the programs and partnerships we’ve established to create an inclusive workplace for military veterans and their families. Equinix was awarded gold status for being a Military Friendly Employer[1] for the past two consecutive years. Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. We’ve been recognized as a Military Friendly Employer for the past 6 years.
Discover career opportunities at Equinix
Whether you’re a veteran or a military family member, it’s an exciting time to work for the world’s digital infrastructure company® in the data center industry. In fact, we recently added an Operations Digital Infrastructure Program to provide specialized training on digital infrastructure.
Explore careers for veterans at Equinix and learn about our diverse and inclusive culture.
You may also be interested in reading other blogs about Equinix and Veterans.
