Bechtel Donates $20,000 to Support Helmets to Hardhats in Washington State

Contribution Will Help Train Military Service Personnel for Construction Jobs

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Nov 20, 2013, 06:06 ET

RICHLAND, Wash., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bechtel today gave $20,000 to the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council to support the Helmets to Hardhats program, which identifies and recruits military personnel for civilian work in the construction industry. The council will use the donation to train active-duty, Reserve, National Guard, and retired military personnel. Bechtel is designing and building the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant in Washington state.

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"The Helmets to Hardhats program has an excellent record identifying and recruiting military service personnel for construction work," said Joe St. Julian, Bechtel's deputy project manager of the Waste Treatment Plant project. "Many of the skills that military personnel learned to help protect our freedom are directly transferable to the construction industry. Through this initiative we get trained, motivated workers with leadership skills and a high level of maturity. Those are traits that Bechtel seeks in all employees."

"The Helmets to Hardhats program reduces some of the stress that military personnel face when they transition to the civilian work force," said Dave Myers, executive secretary of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council. "It connects potential candidates with organizations that provide apprenticeship training and direct access to employers as well as networking opportunities,"

Bechtel has a long-standing tradition of supporting military service members around the world. Earlier this month, the company earned the 2014 Military Friendly Employer® title conferred by the publisher of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse magazines. The title is awarded companies that meet criteria tied to their key programs and policies, such as the strength of the company's military recruiting efforts, the percentage of new hires with prior military service, retention programs, and company policies on employee service to the U.S. National Guard and military reserves.

About Bechtel:

Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation, communications, and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas, and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 colleagues team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries. www.bechtel.com

Media contact:
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SOURCE Bechtel