Lance Corporal Stephen Zoll, Pipefitter at Performance Contractors Inc.

Age: 24
Military Service: Lance Corporal (E-3),Marine Corps (2011-2015)
MOS: Field Wireman (0612)
Education: Currently enrolled in construction management at Baton RougeCommunity College class of 2018

What do you do?

Grind, cut, prep and clean pipe, and fit it together for a welder to weld.

How did you get this job?

I submitted an application, let them know I was a veteran, and within a week had a phone call back. I was hired on as a helper for a job at ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge. What do you like best about your civilian job? Learning something new every day about the industrial construction field.

What’s the biggest challenge?

Learning the essentials for take-offs and how to correctly fit pipe with the inside of the pipe instead of the outside.Are there many other veterans in the construction field? There are more veterans in Performance than I have seen in any other company. Every job I’ve been on with Performance I’ve met old veterans, new veterans, and people who are in the reserves.

What did you do in the Marine Corps?

Field wireman. Essentially, I was trained to establish communications. Unfortunately, I went to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, and never got to experience my training. Instead, I helped radio operators.

Did you deploy overseas?

Yes, in 2013-2014 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. How did you choose your civilian career path? My uncle highly recommended it, and I gave it a chance about three or four months after I had gotten out of the Marine Corps.

How long before you left the military did you begin preparing for your transition?

I didn’t prepare at all. I knew I had some money to sit on for a few months to figure it out and clear my head.

What skills learned in the military do you apply to your job today?

The leadership I gained from the Marine Corps separates me from the average 23- or 24-year-old that works for Performance.

How would you characterize the pay?

One hundred times better than the military, but it doesn’t include the free health care that we had in the military.