As we celebrate Veterans Day, SMRP honors and thanks the many members, both active and retired, who have served in the United States Military.
With a significant number of veteran members who have successfully turned their military skills into successful civilian careers, SMRP recognizes the challenges involved with transitioning from active duty to civilian life. Many of the skills, certifications and levels of proficiency reached within military ranks do not have direct civilian equivalents – making it hard for veterans to find career paths that best suit their skills or expertise.
Largely, the skills veterans possess from their military service– technical equipment repair, teamwork and leadership, understanding the value of safety, and planning ahead to manage workloads and time schedules – translate seamlessly to the civilian side of maintenance and reliability.
SMRP works with veterans to validate skills and secure professional certification through SMRPCO, connect with a global network of more than 6,500 professionals and provide tools for continued education and career advancement.
In recognition of Veterans Day, we spoke with a few veteran members who emphasized how important SMRP’s membership network has been in their transition to civilian careers.
Lucas Marino, D.Eng., PMP served in the Coast Guard for 20 years as a maintenance and reliability professional. Marino expressed that SMRP is a place for “professionals and practitioners to have a community – to exchange ideas across forums, discussion boards and the member-supported magazine along with in-person national and local events.” Marino also noted that SMRP is helping veterans who spent long careers working as maintenance managers transition to a more reliability-focused management style – providing for further career growth.
Tom Moriarty, PE, CMRP found SMRP’s extensive educational materials as he began to consider his transition out of the military. Moriarty deemed these materials useful for learning best practices in the profession, not just for his branch of the military. SMRP helped him incorporate condition-based maintenance in a time when it was a new and innovative approach.
Are you a veteran of the United States armed forces and an SMRP member? Comment below with how your experience in the military has helped you transition to a career in maintenance and reliability.