VETS Indexes has named West Virginia University as a “VETS Indexes Recognized Employer” in the 2023 VETS Indexes Employer Awards. The award recognizes an organization’s commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing, and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.
“West Virginia University has demonstrated a commitment to recruiting veteran and military-connected employees, and then helping them grow and develop into leaders,” said George Altman, managing director of VETS Indexes.
“As more and more employers recognize the cutting-edge technical skills and soft skills veterans bring to the workplace, the race to attract military-connected talent gets increasingly competitive. The number of organizations participating in the 2023 VETS Indexes Employer Awards more than doubled since last year — but even in this highly competitive environment, West Virginia University distinguished itself among veteran employers and should be commended,” Altman said.
This year, a record number of 239 organizations participated in the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, more than double the 118 participants in 2022. Of those, VETS Indexes recognized 200 organizations, and WVU was one of only four institutions of higher learning honored with a designation.
Participating organizations included large and small companies, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, colleges and universities.
Organizations were evaluated across the following categories:
Veteran job candidate recruiting and hiring
Veteran employee development and retention
Veteran-inclusive policies and culture
Support for members of the National Guard and Reserves
Military spouse/family support
“Based on my experience, there are few groups who exemplify the Mountaineer spirit of rugged determination more than veterans. And throughout WVU’s history, countless veterans, service members and their dependents have contributed to our collective success through their leadership, dedication and unrivaled work ethic,” said Cris DeBord, vice president of Talent and Culture.
“Our commitment to serving those who served extends beyond our efforts to attract and hire veterans. We also continually seek out new opportunities to increase retention and job satisfaction among veterans, service members and their families across all areas of our University,” said Annette Belcher, interim director of Talent Strategy.
About VETS Indexes: VETS Indexes is a leading voice on veteran employment issues, overseeing the VETS Indexes Employer Awards, hosting the twice-yearly Employing U.S. Vets Conference, unearthing unique and unprecedented data on veteran employment through the Veteran Employment Benchmarking Service, and developing custom indexes, linked to financial products, that track the performance of the publicly traded companies that have established themselves as the best employers for veterans. More information is available on the VETS Indexes website.