Closing the Data Science Skills Gap For Cleared/Clearable Military Veteran Candidates

Case Study
June 22, 2020

Attracting and retaining talent in high-demand labor categories is becoming increasingly difficult. As the talent pools evaporate, companies are left with two choices: to steal talent from competitors at increasingly high costs or attempt the arduous process of grooming existing employees into roles they may or may not be suited for. 

In working with one of our defense clients, we presented a third, more comprehensive option. 

We stimulated candidate supply by increasing access to, and participation in, affordable and skillset-based data science certification and education programs by partnering with military veterans and our national university system.

This solution provided the following incentives across all three levels of partnership.

  • Students and Military Veterans benefit from a $0 upfront investment in their education and a structured reimbursement program upon graduation commensurate with their annual earnings.
  • Schools and Universities benefit from an investor-funded ISA, competitive placement percentages, and a robust educational model that is informed and supported by best practices of today’s leading companies.
  • Private sector companies benefit from a candidate pipeline that is designed completely around their conditions and requirements for employment, facilitating security clearances and offer letters to pre-qualified candidates—ahead of the competition.

In addition, this program allowed our client to capture talent where the need was greatest, developing programs in the geographies where they operate so students and veterans can learn and live where they want to work—and drastically reducing recruitment and relocation costs.

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