Podcast: The skills veterans bring to maintenance shops, with former Navy technician Suzanne Varghese

When it comes to adding veterans to your fleet or shop, there are plenty of benefits you stand to gain. After all, many veterans bring both hard and soft skills to the table, from technical training to leadership, dedication, and reliability.

For instance, Suzanne Varghese, a gas turbine engine mechanic and maintenance supervisor for the U.S. Navy, has parlayed her skills to the civilian world with Ryder as a recruiter. In this episode of The Fleet Lead, listen to Fleet Maintenance's Editor-in-Chief John Hitch, a former submarine sonar technician, discuss vet hiring best practices with Varghese.

And along with commercial vehicle maintenance, this is one area where Ryder excels. Ryder has more than 4,000 veterans on staff and is routinely recognized as a top employer for vets. Since 2011, Ryder has hired more than 15,000 veterans.

Timestamps:

• 1:29 - Varghese's role with Ryder
• 4:25 - Life as a Navy mechanic
• 11:50 - Where and how to recruit veterans
• 13:42 - How to interview a veteran
• 17:44 - Veterans' soft skills