VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- As V&M Star moves forward on completion of its new $650 million mill, with the company envisioning a second-quarter startup for the mill, Mary Ann DeCapita was looking for a few good men -- and women -- at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
"We're looking for a lot of supervisory positions, leadership roles, and a lot of these military [veterans] bring a lot of that background with them," said DeCapita, human resource business partner for V&M. The company is also looking for individuals to fill various technical positions, and DeCapita said she was pleased with the candidates who turned out at Thursday's Veterans Hiring Event and Life Advancement at the air base.
V&M joined a dozen exhibitors, incuding educational and training institutions, at the event, which targeted jobs in the oil and gas industry. On top of whatever technical specialties they have developed in the nation's armed forces, recruiters at the hiring event said military veterans bring qualities such as the ability to lead or to follow orders, and a strong work ethic, that oil and gas companies say are particularly attractive to them.
More than 150 veterans were registered to attend the event, with more calls to attend and walk-ins coming Thursday morning.
The Keane Group, a drilling and fracking company from Lewis Run, Pa., was mainly looking for individuals with commercial drivers' licenses to move equipment, as well as drilling and rig hands and individuals with backgrounds in engineering technology. "We're looking at the military because they're used to the long hours and the outdoors and those kinds of conditions," said Steve Fishkin, human resource representative/recruiter.
"The work ethic is the big thing with the military," he continued. "They're used to working hand-in-hand with other people and teamwork. In the fracking industry, we could have 25-30 guys out there operating as a team, and we look people who are used to the long hours. We can train them, but it's a culture -- we have to find those people willing to do that work and be outdoors."
Jay Calk, general manager for North American Field Services LLC, Follansbee, W. Va., was looking for job candidates with "the aptitude to do a task and to get that task completed," he said. The company offers a range of services related to cleanup of fracking sites.
"It's hard to get people who will show up and will work and pass the basic test and drug screens," he remarked.
The event was attractive to Roni Bralich, director of safety and human resources for Yourga Trucking Inc., Wheatland, Pa., because so many of the veterans already have Class A CDLs. The oil and gas business in the Marcellus shale is driving demand for truckers.
"The business is just booming right now," she explained. "We've driven a lot of pipe from the Texas area back to this area that is going right to the well sites." With a need to fill up to 10 positions now, "If I can walk away with two or three extremely good applicants I would be extremely pleased," she said.
Representatives of Chesapeake Energy on hand for the job fair were not permitted to talk to the news media, they said, but in a statement issued to reporters the company said it plans to hire more than 1,000 veterans this year. "Candidates who are also veterans have strong work ethic, commitments to teamwork and leadership skills," the company said. "Military men and women with engineering or manufacturing skills are ideal for many positions with Chesapeake."
Unemployment is a "huge" problem for veterans, said James Alvin Clark, executive director and military liaison for Tip of the Arrow, a nonprofit foundation that attempts to find jobs for veterans and one of the sponsors of Thursday's event.
Tip of the Arrow has helped place 400 veteran in jobs since 2008, he said. The organization, in conjunction with ShaleDirectories.com, held a similar hiring event a few months ago in Williamsport, Pa. The two organizations collaborated with the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber on yesterday's event.
"Once our soldiers are released from duty, one of the No. 1 problems is finding jobs," Clark said. A lot of veterans bring skills in specific areas such as mechanics, logistics engineering, electronics and driving. They also have discipline and "will work hard," he said.
"They bring a lot of skills to this type of event," he remarked.
The ability to lead and to follow orders are among the key skills members of the armed forces bring, along with getting up at 5:30 a.m. and showing up places on time. "Those are important attributes that these veterans have," said Chief Warrant Officer Emiliano DeLeon of the Marine Corps.
Joe Barone, president of ShaleDirectories.com, which he describes as "like the Yellow Pages for the oil and gas industry," recalled a joke told at the Williamsport event. One company told organizers to advise veterans that the job meant working 21 consecutive days followed by seven days off; One vet's response was a question: "You mean I get seven days off?"
Among those looking to fill the jobs was U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Nicholas Benett. Through the Corps he received licensing to operate multiple pieces of heavy equipment, including excavators, bulldozers, backhoes and forklifts.
U.S. Army Reserve Specialist Brandy Faulkner, a supply clerk, said she has experience in maintaining equipment, inventory, and making sure individuals have what they need for jobs. "I also do training events and I schedule the trainers and the place and how to get there," as well as setting up stops on the road and accommodations for soldiers. She said companies appeared interested in her logistics expertise in organizing and equipping trucks, and checking inventory and personnel.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.