Tucson will seek outgoing military to fill city positions, address understaffing | Local news

0
118

[ad_1]

Lee, an Air Force veteran, said Tucson is in a prime position to take advantage of the program, with an estimated 16,000 active soldiers stationed at local military facilities.

How many applicants will actually apply has not yet been determined, but the city is taking measures to attract as many applicants as possible.

Officials will set up a “Recruiter Liaison” who can work with outside groups to find suitable people. The city also plans to partner with other community organizations as part of its overall staffing strategy.

“One of the common themes I heard when I heard companies implement SkillBridge was that you have to have that connection to be successful,” said Lee, who spent a year developing the proposal. “You need to have this program coordinator, this point person, to make sure this is successful.”

Officials said the candidates would bring a variety of skills that could qualify them for positions in some of Tucson’s understaffed offices, such as the information technology division. Around a fifth of the IT positions were vacant in October due to insufficient pool of candidates.

National data also suggests the understaffed Tucson Police Department could be an attraction for many former military personnel. Veterans currently occupy 19% of law enforcement positions across the country.

[ad_2]