The military cultivates many skills… how to protect our country, how to function under pressure and how to deal with setbacks to name just a few. In fact, there are a lot of unique skills taught in the military that translate to the civilian sector. Yet when thinking of a post-military career, a vocation in IT probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But dig a little deeper and you’ll discover numerous things about the two are analogous.

Many of our employees are veterans. 22% in fact. In speaking with them, we’ve discovered that military training has helped them acquire the skills necessary to navigate many of the challenges that a career in technology brings. “Being in the military built the character necessary to deal with the same challenges we deal with here,” commented Hank House, a U.S. Navy veteran and team lead with Provalus.

Here we draw out five key values and skills the military teaches that directly translate to a career with Provalus:

Adaptability: 
The average person working in the military uproots their life every couple years. In each place their role, skillset and scope of work often change. In a tech organization, there’s a certain level of flexibility needed with every role requiring employees to be versatile, willing to take on new roles and open to developing new skills with short notice. One can not be afraid of change in the military. The same is true for the field of IT.

Teamwork:
Nowhere else does a team of people operate as fluidly as in the military, where squads leverage each other to accomplish a common goal. “Nothing we do at Optomi Professional Services can happen if we don’t work as a team,” says Chuck Shaffer, veteran and Director of Strategic Accounts for OPS. “Nobody can do this alone.” While working in tech requires individual effort and drive, it’s also very team-oriented. In this industry, teams need to trust each other enough to hand control over to one another—for someone who’s served in or trained in the military, this comes naturally. “Overcoming challenges that you didn’t believe you could and being faced with challenges that you only had to rely on others to bring you through helped to develop the skill set necessary to overcome and tackle challenges in IT,” added House.

Dedication:
Being in the military instills the importance of reliability and personal responsibility. It demands a focus on the mission at hand to minimize distractions. Applying that dedication and commitment to the IT work will intrinsically result in success.

Preparation for Leadership: 
The confidence and natural leadership skills that are critical in the military help veterans excel in IT careers. “Leading large groups of people in the military through standards and traditions helped me prepare for leadership here,” says House of Provalus. Leading technology teams requires diligence, confidence and sound decision-making skills. All are cultivated through a military experience.

On this Veterans Day, we salute our veterans for their dedication to this wonderful country we all call home. Thank you for your service.