Potential Partner Instrumental to Hiring Veterans in Baton Rouge

Potential Partner Instrumental to Hiring Veterans in Baton Rouge

Potential Partner Instrumental to Hiring Veterans in Baton Rouge

During a Louisiana State University football game last season, Baton Rouge Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Doug Reynolds met Art Favre, the president of Performance Contractors, and enlisted his help through the Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program.

About the same time, Capt. Steve Milauskas, Baton Rouge Company commander, compiled a list of the top 10 largest companies in Baton Rouge. Performance Contractors topped that list.

Reynolds engaged those top 10 employers about opportunities within the PaYS program.

Chet Ferraci, the director of human resources for Performance Contractors, answered quickly saying he was happy to be involved. Soon after, Milauskas presented the information to him at the corporate headquarters.

“Since starting the process of the PaYS program, are presentative from their company has attended my grassroots advisory board meeting in March and also linked up with the local Army Reserve units to present job openings they currently have for Reserve Soldiers and veterans.”

David Theriot, an Army veteran and project services coordinator with Performance Contractors, was tasked with seeking out and recruiting other veterans and current National Guard and Reserve members.

“We are a rapidly expanding company who realizes the value of military service, and would like to add more service members to our team,” said Theriot. “We found the ArmyPaYS program as a way to find and connect with current service members. We are just getting started with the PaYS program, but so far the representatives have been very eager and willing to help.”

Ferraci has been in contact with a local Army Reserve unit and has informed them of numerous job opportunities coming up in the short term.

“One of these units recently returned from a deployment and many of the Soldiers are in need of employment,” said Milauskas. “The company, at the initial time of partnership, was looking to hire veterans ... [and] completely train them.”

The PaYS program satisfies Theriot’s need for long range planning for new hires.

“I am excited about the possibilities for this program because most of the Soldiers I am meeting are eager to learn our business, but are not immediately qualified to do the work,” said Theriot. “The Soldiers that are coming out of the Army are motivated to work and highly trainable, but need to make money immediately.”

“We are looking to hire mostly welders and pipefitters, which takes about four semesters of school to acquire the necessary skills. With the PaYS program, we should be able to counsel the Soldiers and get them in training while they are still active duty,” said Theriot. “This will give us a candidate that is ready to be hired as soon as they ETS, and give the Soldier a career waiting for them after their service.”