Continuing the mission: One veteran’s transition from the Army to FedEx Ground
During his 20-plus years in the Army, Andrew Loeb grew as a soldier and built his military resume. When he was ready to enter the civilian world, he was unclear how his military experience would be received
Editor's Note: The following story highlights a veteran atFedEx Ground. Committed to including talented members of the military community in its workplace, FedEx Ground is a client of HirePurpose, a Task & Purpose sister company. Learn more here.
Throughout their military service, veterans gain unique skills that often do not relate to the civilian world. During his 20-plus years in the Army, Andrew Loeb grew as a soldier and built his military resume. When he was ready to enter the civilian world, he was unclear how his military experience would be received.
Luckily for Loeb, he found his way to FedEx Ground, where he is using his military background to support the company mission.
After working as an engineering officer for the Army, Loeb wanted to find a company that would understand and appreciate the unique skills he had gained during his time in the military. After learning about FedEx Ground at a career fair, he was intrigued.
“I liked the broad spectrum of engineers working at FedEx Ground,” he explained. “I felt that my experience would help me fit in.” Loeb liked that FedEx Ground was a well-known name and that the successful company had a great reputation as an employer of choice throughout the country. He met a fellow veteran and FedEx Ground employee who spoke highly of the company culture, and Loeb came to see how the company could be a great fit for him.
FedEx Ground is a multifaceted transportation company and an integral part of the FedEx brand. “The mission of FedEx Ground is to provide customers with exceptional business-to-business and residential delivery services,” Loeb said. FedEx Ground provides service in every state and Canada, and relies on a multitude of different departments and unique skills to keep its operations running. “From logistics and services to engineering and maintenance, FedEx Ground is a diverse company that needs diverse employees,” he said.
FedEx Ground believes that “a diverse and an inclusive culture is good for business because it increases engagement, morale, productivity, quality, profitability, creativity, and innovation.” This culture benefits not only veterans but people with disabilities and women in leadership positions as well. Veterans may be well suited for a wide array of jobs within the company, such as operations managers, maintenance technicians, vehicle maintenance advisors, technology engineers, and many more. These positions, all key parts of the FedEx Ground mission, require specific skills that match up well to military experience.
Andrew Loeb
In May 2015, Loeb joined the FedEx Ground team as a project engineer for Facilities and Material Handling. According to Loeb, his position encompasses everything from “schedule development and monitoring, budget and cash flow predictions for quarterly spending, contract development, and design reviews to making sure that facility construction and material handling installation and improvements are delivered on time and within budget.” Loeb's duties have a wide scope, but he has found many parallels between his career with FedEx Ground and his time with the military. “Both organizations have a simple, clear mission,” he said. “At FedEx Ground, our mission is to take care of packages every day. Everyone knows that they are working toward the same overall goal.” Just like the military, FedEx Ground recruits from within, giving employees an opportunity to move up through the company. “FedEx Ground invests in its employees,” Loeb explained. “That leads to company loyalty.” Its clear mission, opportunities for growth, and company culture make FedEx Ground a great fit for veterans.
Many veterans face a hurdle in deciding where to go after leaving the military. Should they return to their hometown? Should they settle where they are? Loeb's goal was to stay in Pittsburgh, which meant he would not have to uproot his family, and FedEx Ground fit in perfectly with that plan as it is headquartered near the city. FedEx Ground has a network of distribution centers throughout the country, meaning there are jobs in every state. In order to attract veteran employees, the company is identifying not only where veterans are geographically separating from the military but also where they want to settle down. With that knowledge, FedEx Ground has been able to pair veterans with job openings all across the country.
FedEx Ground is working hard to attract veteran employees and take care of the ones they already have. Their veteran employee network, VetsNet, serves a big role in this process. Through VetsNet, current veteran employees can connect to share camaraderie and support. VetsNet also connects veteran and non-veteran employees to facilitate open communication and lead to greater transparency and respect on both sides. FedEx Ground attracts veteran candidates through military-specific hiring fairs such as Hiring Our Heroes. Through its outreach, FedEx Ground aims to educate veterans about the company, help veterans understand what jobs are available, and provide support for personal and professional development.
FedEx Ground has collaborated with the Veteran Breakfast Club (VBC) of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that highlights veterans' stories in an effort to learn from the unique experiences of military service. Loeb regularly facilitates meetings and company-wide broadcasts highlighting veterans from VBC.
For Loeb, FedEx Ground was a logical next step after the Army. In over 20 years of service, he gained specific yet varied experience and was eager to put it to use in his second career. With FedEx Ground, Loeb joined a diverse, supportive, mission-oriented company that values his military service, enabling him to continue to serve and grow.
This post is sponsored by FedEx