BYD Salutes, Hires Veterans

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.  (11/10/2020) – BYD (Build Your Dreams) knows that hiring veterans is a good business practice.

BYD knows what veterans bring to the table – leadership skills, a mission-driven attitude, and they work well under pressure. They also bring critical “soft skills” valued by employers, including people skills, communication skills, listening skills, and time management.

“BYD values the skills brought by veterans, including the experience of working in diverse teams, their ability to adapt and make immediate contributions, and their problem-solving skills,” said BYD North America Senior Vice President Patrick Duan. “Our veterans have proven to have integrity and loyalty and we are proud to have them on our team.

Veterans can be found in every aspect of BYD’s operations, from the factory floor performing such jobs as welding, warehousing, and assembly work to the offices, performing such work as sales, material planning and control, and human resources.

“BYD cares. That’s why I’ve never left,” said Ryon Milam, a BYD quality control inspector who served in the US Army in the 1980s. “BYD builds us up and takes care of us.”

BYD is the only battery-electric vehicle manufacturer that has both a union workforce and a Community Benefits Agreement, which includes a commitment to facilitating the entry of veterans into the manufacturing workforce. The Community Benefits Agreement is a joint effort by BYD, SMART Local 105, and Jobs to Move America to recruit workers that face obstacles to obtaining manufacturing employment.

“BYD has gone above and beyond in its commitment to ensuring veterans, as well as other workers facing significant barriers to employment, have the support and resources necessary to succeed as employees of the world’s leading manufacturer of electric vehicles,” Hector Huezo, JMA’s senior workforce equity coordinator. “By recommitting to a landmark community benefits agreement with Jobs to Move America and our coalition, BYD is making unprecedented commitments to a well-trained U.S. workforce comprised of populations historically underrepresented in manufacturing, including U.S. veterans in need of high quality employment with family sustaining wages and benefits.”

To bring in veterans, BYD, Smart Local 105, and Jobs to Move America use Helmets to Hardhats, a national, nonprofit program designed to help military service members successfully transition back into civilian life by offering them the means to secure a quality career in the construction industry.