TAMPA, Fla.—DAV (Disabled American Veterans) has named Duke Energy, a North Carolina-based utilities and energy company, its Large Employer of the Year. Duke Energy will be formally recognized Aug. 1 during the 2021 DAV and Auxiliary National Convention in Tampa, Florida.
As a part of Duke Energy’s commitment to hiring veterans, the company has a dedicated military and veteran recruiting team to support hiring veteran talent. In addition, Duke Energy is committed to building and maintaining long-term relationships with transitioning service members and veteran job seekers, hiring managers and external veteran organizations.
Duke Energy has prioritized creating improved employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and they currently employ 226 veterans with a disability status. In addition, funded by a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, the nonprofit Enable America produces a series of Vet Connect job skills workshops for current military members working through the Fort Bragg and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Wounded Transition Battalion to develop skills that enhance employment opportunities and integration into post-military life.
By providing a grant to the USO of North Carolina, Duke Energy supports service members and their families as they transition to civilian life. The grant is used to connect service members and spouses with energy and trade positions and coaching. In addition, the Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of communities where its customers live and work. The foundation contributes more than $33 million annually in charitable gifts, and Duke Energy employees also participated in a salute-writing program honoring veterans in North Carolina State Veteran Homes.
“Duke Energy knows that veterans and disabled veterans alike come to the workforce with experience in management, leadership and teamwork,” said DAV National Commander Stephen “Butch” Whitehead. “We’re grateful for what they have done for the men and women who served and for their commitment to employing our veterans in North Carolina and beyond. They clearly understand that when you hire veterans, you hire some very skilled and sought-after talent.”
About DAV
DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: keeping our promise to America’s veterans. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a nonprofit organization with more than 1 million veteran members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932.