One of the biggest challenges for many companies in the security industry is recruiting and retaining qualified workers.

Two years ago, workforce development took the No. 3 spot in SIA’s annual Megatrends report. The document noted that more than a third of attendees at Securing New Ground, SIA’s executive-level conference, said that talent shortages were limiting their ability to grow revenues.

A solid work ethic, attention to detail, relevant experience, and a protection mindset are not always easy to find in job candidates. But there is one demographic cohort in which such qualities are commonly present: military veterans.

Those who have served in the Armed Forces offer security manufacturers, integrators, and others a unique set of characteristics and abilities. Trained to be mission-focused and solutions-oriented, they often also bring technical skills, leadership abilities, and composure in high-stress situations, all of which make them valuable employees, especially in the security sector.

The United States has about 17 million veterans, with around half of them currently in the civilian workforce. Their unemployment rate is typically below the national average, which speaks to the value they bring to a job and how sought-after they are.

This year, though, has been a difficult one for some. Veterans account for about 30% of the federal workforce, so many vets are now out of work as a result of federal agency spending cuts and Department of Government Efficiency-led job reductions.

In 2024, SIA launched Veterans in Security. The initiative not only provides a community for security professionals who have served, but also promotes transitions from the military to the security industry, a natural path that leverages veterans’ martial training to attain success in the private sector.

The group has developed multiple resources and events for this purpose, including:

• SIA Veterans Employment Exchange — A jobs board specially designed to connect veterans, as well as current military members who are preparing to separate or retire, with security employers.
• Security Industry Opportunities for Veterans — A brochure for veterans and service members highlighting why the security sector could be an excellent next step for them.
• The Veteran Advantage in the Security Industry — A brochure to help security employers understand how they can benefit by recruiting employees with a military background.

In addition, SIA Veterans in Security has held several events, including a session in the ISC West Career Zone and a dinner and charity fundraiser at ISC West hosted in partnership with SIA’s RISE community of young professionals, with the most recent one on Nov. 12. This day-after-Veterans-Day reception will bring people together for an evening of fun and networking while surrounded by military history in the Leatherneck Gallery at the National Museum of the Marine Corps — a fitting venue, given that the event will be held just two days after the Marines celebrate their 250th birthday.

“As a retired Marine, I am thrilled with this connection between two worlds that I love,” says Jeff Huggins of ASSA ABLOY, who serves as security chair of SIA Veterans. “But this is about much more than any one branch. Our group is passionate about supporting soldiers, sailors, airmen, Guardians, Coasties, and, yes, Marines who are looking for their next career. We know what the military did for us, and we want security companies to know what military veterans can do for them.”

Read more SIA Waypoints columns.