The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence is one of the biggest employers of technical professionals in the entire region. The rise in defence technology, along with the usual needs of a government bureaucracy, means that technical professionals are in high demand in the Ministry. Indeed, the technical vacancies at the Ministry of Defence are beneficial to both graduates and the department itself. The Ministry obviously benefits from an infusion of new and creative technical talent. Graduates benefit in a number of ways from positions with the Ministry, including financial incentives, solid benefits, and the knowledge that they are responsible for the defence of the British people in their own small way.
After a technical professional realises that they want to work with the Ministry of Defence, the next step is finding the ideal position. The Ministry employs hundreds of full time and contract technical professionals, ranging from IT help desk workers to software engineers responsible for developing defence technology. While there are a high number of jobs available, the number of applicants has skyrocketed over the last decade as university graduates flood the job market. The question is how a talented professional can find a job and land it amongst all of the other graduates with similar experiences.
There is no one answer that can satisfy a graduate’s need for a job in the Ministry. Instead, there are multiple approaches which meet the needs of unique professionals. Many graduates choose to go the direct route in pursuing technical vacancies, reviewing Ministry of Defence job listings on their site. In this way, graduates can get the updated information directly from the Ministry while learning about the life of a Ministry worker.
However, many professionals find using the Ministry job site, or regular job sites, a frustrating proposition. While they are helpful in finding job listings and the required application materials, they are notoriously absent of details on how to land the job. Graduates and young professionals are often in the dark about how to revise their CV, play up their experiences, and excel in an interview. These technical professionals should seriously consider using a recruiting agency to land a job with the Ministry. Recruiting agencies not only provide job listings for defence jobs updated daily, but they also provide the professional resources that a budding defence worker needs. Every technical professional should consider multiple routes in their job hunt, though many find recruiting agencies to be a good long term investment.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Defence Contract Positions
For engineers, designers, and technicians interested in defence contracting, there are a number of ways to enter that particular field. One of the most popular and effective means of entrance is through the armed forces. Whether it is the United States Army or the Royal Air Force, military experience can be valuable for a potential defence contractor. As well, the structure and discipline of the armed forces can be valuable for companies recruiting contractors, who need quick solutions to defence issues vital to national security.
The armed forces aren’t for everyone and by no means do they guarantee entrance into the defence contracting field. For those who have a strongly academic background and some experience with technical work, the use of job sites and university placement services can be invaluable. Job sites typically feature special sections for defence work, including contracting, which can help narrow down the search on broader sites like Monster or Career Builder. Perhaps the best route for the university graduate in the job search is the university placement services which are popping up all over European universities. These placement services build connections with laboratories, design firms, and defence industry leaders in the area in order to assist their alumni.
However, the most overlooked tool for finding a defence contracting position is to use a recruiting agency. Many professionals may think that a general recruiter may not have the connections or skills to help out a potential defence contractor. This is not the case, as the most experienced recruiters in the UK and Europe have connections with aerospace, defence, and other technically oriented companies that are looking to hire professional for defence contracts. In fact, the best recruiting agencies on the European continent often develop deep relationships with defence contracting firms as they offer reliable business and lucrative job placements.
The biggest choice for a defence contracting professional in using a recruiting agency is whether to use a speciality firm or a general agency. Speciality defence recruiting firms have the inside track on a number of great defence jobs, though their services can be limited due to the specific nature of their recruiting. General firms offer comprehensive services and assessments of each of their recruits, but they may not possess the same connections as speciality firms. In the end, a defence contracting professional needs to look at their long term goals, determine how much help they need before entering the workforce, and choose based on those factors.
The armed forces aren’t for everyone and by no means do they guarantee entrance into the defence contracting field. For those who have a strongly academic background and some experience with technical work, the use of job sites and university placement services can be invaluable. Job sites typically feature special sections for defence work, including contracting, which can help narrow down the search on broader sites like Monster or Career Builder. Perhaps the best route for the university graduate in the job search is the university placement services which are popping up all over European universities. These placement services build connections with laboratories, design firms, and defence industry leaders in the area in order to assist their alumni.
However, the most overlooked tool for finding a defence contracting position is to use a recruiting agency. Many professionals may think that a general recruiter may not have the connections or skills to help out a potential defence contractor. This is not the case, as the most experienced recruiters in the UK and Europe have connections with aerospace, defence, and other technically oriented companies that are looking to hire professional for defence contracts. In fact, the best recruiting agencies on the European continent often develop deep relationships with defence contracting firms as they offer reliable business and lucrative job placements.
The biggest choice for a defence contracting professional in using a recruiting agency is whether to use a speciality firm or a general agency. Speciality defence recruiting firms have the inside track on a number of great defence jobs, though their services can be limited due to the specific nature of their recruiting. General firms offer comprehensive services and assessments of each of their recruits, but they may not possess the same connections as speciality firms. In the end, a defence contracting professional needs to look at their long term goals, determine how much help they need before entering the workforce, and choose based on those factors.
A Career in Defence
Many young professionals in the United Kingdom pursue careers in the defence industry. This industrial sector is becoming more broadly defined by the year, as private corporations are working in unison with government agencies to develop products necessary for the protection of the UK and neighbouring regions. Indeed, many graduates overlook all of the potential positions available in the defence industry by assuming that the choice is between the military and major contractors in the aerospace and engineering sectors.
Before jumping into a defence sector job, graduates need to assess the reasons for entering this sector. Graduates who are interested in public service, providing for the public good, and using their skills for the purpose of protecting the people of the United Kingdom will find defence work immensely rewarding. However, graduates and young professionals who seek defence positions simply for the pay or the benefits may be frustrated by the bureaucratic barriers that companies often encounter in defence contracting. Defence workers, whether in the military or the private sector, are earnest about their goals and act ultimately for national and regional defence.
Graduates who are interested in working directly in the defence industry should certainly consider military options. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and other bodies need talented young officers in order to further the cause of defending Great Britain and its allies. As well, defence work can be found in government offices including the Ministry of Defence and its corollaries. These direct positions in the UK defence structure are great because professionals gain intimate knowledge of the latest technologies and policies without going through the oft-confusing informational pipeline.
There is a second tier of defence careers that can be found with long term defence contractors. UK defence organizations and government agencies alike have worked with major aerospace, engineering, and manufacturing companies over the last several decades to develop processes by which the resources of the private world can be used for the public good. Graduates with engineering backgrounds or an interest in science will especially be successful in these jobs, as defence contractors need quick, logical minds to develop new innovations.
A final tier of the defence career options for UK graduates comes with occasional contracting companies. There is a plethora of firms and companies that cut across dozens of industrial sectors, including IT and automotive, that work with the UK defence structure to supply certain products on a limited basis. These types of jobs are great for young workers who want to mix their interest in public service with their desire to succeed in the private world.
Before jumping into a defence sector job, graduates need to assess the reasons for entering this sector. Graduates who are interested in public service, providing for the public good, and using their skills for the purpose of protecting the people of the United Kingdom will find defence work immensely rewarding. However, graduates and young professionals who seek defence positions simply for the pay or the benefits may be frustrated by the bureaucratic barriers that companies often encounter in defence contracting. Defence workers, whether in the military or the private sector, are earnest about their goals and act ultimately for national and regional defence.
Graduates who are interested in working directly in the defence industry should certainly consider military options. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and other bodies need talented young officers in order to further the cause of defending Great Britain and its allies. As well, defence work can be found in government offices including the Ministry of Defence and its corollaries. These direct positions in the UK defence structure are great because professionals gain intimate knowledge of the latest technologies and policies without going through the oft-confusing informational pipeline.
There is a second tier of defence careers that can be found with long term defence contractors. UK defence organizations and government agencies alike have worked with major aerospace, engineering, and manufacturing companies over the last several decades to develop processes by which the resources of the private world can be used for the public good. Graduates with engineering backgrounds or an interest in science will especially be successful in these jobs, as defence contractors need quick, logical minds to develop new innovations.
A final tier of the defence career options for UK graduates comes with occasional contracting companies. There is a plethora of firms and companies that cut across dozens of industrial sectors, including IT and automotive, that work with the UK defence structure to supply certain products on a limited basis. These types of jobs are great for young workers who want to mix their interest in public service with their desire to succeed in the private world.
Defence Sector Jobs
The hottest trend among companies throughout the United Kingdom is to utilize contract workers to meet seasonal or quarterly demands. This trend has come about over the last decade as businesses are trying to stay competitive in an increasingly global market. Payroll payments form a major investment for the average UK business, which means that contract professionals feature short run payments which are quickly moved off of the books. In addition to financial needs, many companies benefit from the flexibility that a reliable short term and project staff members provide them.
The UK defence sector is no different from other industries in their trend toward defence contractors. There has been an increased scrutiny on the amount of payments and pensions paid out to full time defence professionals and consultants over the last decade. Indeed, the military, government agencies, and defence contractors have answered the call for cleaner budgets by making their work force more dynamic. The result has been the use of project pools in defence contracting companies, from which managers and executives can draw upon on a project-to-project basis.
Younger professionals need to utilize contract jobs in the defence sector as a tool toward a long term career in the industry. After all, the trend seems to be heading toward permanent status within UK defence contracting, which means that professionals need to learn the benefits of contract work in a hurry. Workers that seek out contract defence jobs can benefit in a number of ways that will keep them in the loop for decades to come.
Defence contract jobs in the United Kingdom can help a professional build up a solid CV for a time when a permanent position is open. Engineering professionals can work on defence projects with a major firm, which allows them to gain experience in working with public and private organizations. As well, the brand name that a certain firm carries with it can help a talented professional distinguish themselves from competitors who may have laboured in lower profile jobs.
In addition to the qualifications gained in project positions, defence professionals also gain an intimate knowledge of the industry. The intricacies, bureaucratic barriers, and other issues of the defence industry mean that it is difficult to learn job responsibilities from the outside in. Project work puts young defence workers in the thick of important work while allowing them to gain valuable connections and get comfortable with defence work. The defence professional who sees the trend toward project work as an advantage instead of a burden will find a lot of success in the future.
The UK defence sector is no different from other industries in their trend toward defence contractors. There has been an increased scrutiny on the amount of payments and pensions paid out to full time defence professionals and consultants over the last decade. Indeed, the military, government agencies, and defence contractors have answered the call for cleaner budgets by making their work force more dynamic. The result has been the use of project pools in defence contracting companies, from which managers and executives can draw upon on a project-to-project basis.
Younger professionals need to utilize contract jobs in the defence sector as a tool toward a long term career in the industry. After all, the trend seems to be heading toward permanent status within UK defence contracting, which means that professionals need to learn the benefits of contract work in a hurry. Workers that seek out contract defence jobs can benefit in a number of ways that will keep them in the loop for decades to come.
Defence contract jobs in the United Kingdom can help a professional build up a solid CV for a time when a permanent position is open. Engineering professionals can work on defence projects with a major firm, which allows them to gain experience in working with public and private organizations. As well, the brand name that a certain firm carries with it can help a talented professional distinguish themselves from competitors who may have laboured in lower profile jobs.
In addition to the qualifications gained in project positions, defence professionals also gain an intimate knowledge of the industry. The intricacies, bureaucratic barriers, and other issues of the defence industry mean that it is difficult to learn job responsibilities from the outside in. Project work puts young defence workers in the thick of important work while allowing them to gain valuable connections and get comfortable with defence work. The defence professional who sees the trend toward project work as an advantage instead of a burden will find a lot of success in the future.
Defence Jobs
When it comes to finding the best defence job opportunities within the defence sector, job applicants will certainly have to take time out to do some research. However, it should be said that candidates will also need reliable employment contacts if their job market research is to be effective. The fact is that not many candidates have the resources or contacts to carry out effective defence job searches. This is why it is imperative for candidates to seek assistance from a recruitment agency which specializes in defence sector jobs. A recruitment agency which has many years of experience in finding defence sector jobs can significantly improve a candidate’s chances of securing the most suitable defence sector jobs. This is because such agencies give them a distinct edge over other competing applicants.
There is no doubt that there is a high demand for technical staff within the aerospace and defence industries. As such, candidates such as engineering and construction professionals will find that there are no shortage of job opportunities. In any case, without professional recruitment assistance, many candidates will be unable to exploit these numerous defence job opportunities. Over the years, with the aid of a recruiting agency, many candidates have gone on to have successful and fulfilling careers within the defence sector. The comprehensive recruitment services which defence recruiters provide not only guarantee positive results, but it also ensures these results are obtained in an expedited manner. Unlike many other specialist recruitment firms, defence recruiters provide support and guidance to their candidates through out the recruitment process. Even after a job placement has been secured, the best recruiters continue to build and maintain productive relationships with their clients. The success of these companies is directly linked to their dedication to providing fully customized recruitment services.
It is worth mentioning that most defence recruiters are fully dedicated to adhering to all REC guideline and regulations. Furthermore, the experienced team of recruitment consultants at most successful defence recruiters are REC trained. This means that they are capable of providing expert recruitment advice and guidance to all their clients. In fact, most account managers at these agencies obtained many years of experience within the defence/aerospace industries prior to joining up with their company. In the light of this, it is safe to say that regardless of whether a client is seeking recruitment solutions for a permanent or contract defence role, a specialized defence recruiter has both the human resources and experience to provide the necessary support.
About the author Wynnwith defence specialise in defence jobs, engineering jobs, and in particular aerospace and mechanical engineering jobs. The company are a leading provider of candidates to some of the most recognised aerospace and aviation companies worldwide.
There is no doubt that there is a high demand for technical staff within the aerospace and defence industries. As such, candidates such as engineering and construction professionals will find that there are no shortage of job opportunities. In any case, without professional recruitment assistance, many candidates will be unable to exploit these numerous defence job opportunities. Over the years, with the aid of a recruiting agency, many candidates have gone on to have successful and fulfilling careers within the defence sector. The comprehensive recruitment services which defence recruiters provide not only guarantee positive results, but it also ensures these results are obtained in an expedited manner. Unlike many other specialist recruitment firms, defence recruiters provide support and guidance to their candidates through out the recruitment process. Even after a job placement has been secured, the best recruiters continue to build and maintain productive relationships with their clients. The success of these companies is directly linked to their dedication to providing fully customized recruitment services.
It is worth mentioning that most defence recruiters are fully dedicated to adhering to all REC guideline and regulations. Furthermore, the experienced team of recruitment consultants at most successful defence recruiters are REC trained. This means that they are capable of providing expert recruitment advice and guidance to all their clients. In fact, most account managers at these agencies obtained many years of experience within the defence/aerospace industries prior to joining up with their company. In the light of this, it is safe to say that regardless of whether a client is seeking recruitment solutions for a permanent or contract defence role, a specialized defence recruiter has both the human resources and experience to provide the necessary support.
About the author Wynnwith defence specialise in defence jobs, engineering jobs, and in particular aerospace and mechanical engineering jobs. The company are a leading provider of candidates to some of the most recognised aerospace and aviation companies worldwide.
USA Defence Jobs
Washington, D.C.The U.S. federal government still reigns as the country's top employer. The sheer number of agencies physically housed in the district means a revolving door of vacancies requiring clearances, and this isn't likely to change any time soon. The Department of Labor estimates that 60 percent of the federal workforce will be eligible for retirement in the next ten years, leaving plenty of positions up for grabs and plenty requiring a clearance. Furthermore, many top Department of Defense programs will start the 2009 fiscal year with higher budgets. In total, a $487.7 billion Defense Department budget has been set aside by lawmakers.For military veterans, federal jobs offer the opportunity to continue to serve the public in a work environment that offers competitive pay, good benefits and structured promotion opportunities. It's also an increasingly satisfying place to work. A study of 283 federal organizations puts the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Government Accountability Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, NASA and the Department of Justice at the top of the list for satisfied employees.The variance in agency missions is a wide one, with opportunities in every imaginable career field. Whatever backgrounds military service members bring to the table — whether its logistics, infantry or intelligence — the need for cleared workers is so critical, some agencies are putting people to work in unclassified areas while their clearances are pending. This puts the value of a security clearance at a premium. In some cases, it may hold more value than experience."Until the time to process new clearances falls below six months, employers may find candidates with fewer skills and the correct clearance as viable alternatives," said Evan Lesser, founder and director of Clearance Jobs, which matches security-cleared personnel with federal and defense industry hiring managers. "Naturally, it depends on the job in question. This wouldn't apply to highly skilled technical experts like engineers and software developers. But many careers such as service technicians, helpdesk staff, server administrators, archivists and data analysts can indeed be trained faster than it would take to obtain a clearance."While jobs are plentiful and cultural and historic attractions abound in the district, the 2007 population count — some 588,000 residents — doubles Monday through Friday, boosted by employees who choose to live outside of the District. Regardless of whether you are a civilian or transitioning military service member, D.C. continues to welcome job-seeking security-cleared candidates with open arms.Northern VirginiaThe post 9/11 focus on security has impacted hiring trends all over this region. Employers are always looking for technical skills, but their interest extends to physical security, biomedical and financial sectors as well. The majority of companies hiring are those doing business with the federal government. Name a Virginia suburb and there's a cluster of government contractors in the vicinity.
Arlington County alone houses more than 600 federal contractors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics noted in late 2007 that Farifax County, home to Fort Belvoir and hundreds of defense contractors, showed an average weekly wage of $1,358, one of the highest in the country. The same report shows an even higher average weekly wage for Arlington county residents at $1,458. Industry analysts predict this area will continue to be a magnet for defense industry job opportunities, regardless of the outcome of the November 2008 presidential election. As long as contractors have to compete for federal dollars, they'll keep facilities up and running in close proximity to their funding sources.Another industry trend affecting the defense job market is the formation of corporate contracting partnerships. For example, numerous defense prime and sub-contractors will team up for the development of the Army's Future Combat Systems technologies. Boeing, SAIC, General Dynamics and BAE Systems are just a few that will work in conjunction with each other. This will open a wide range of opportunities in IT, engineering, management, assembly and other positions.As for quality of life, culture and good schools are part of the package in Northern Virginia, while housing prices can be a challenge. That's changing a little, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. It reports that inJuly, 2008, sales prices were lower than last year by more than 12 percent. That still leaves the median sales price at $399,000, but there are communities with lower priced homes. A CNN/Money poll puts Reston and Burke in the top 100 list of best places to live.Southeast VirginiaWhen it comes to security clearances and the job market, all roads lead to Hampton Roads — and extend outward like spokes along Virginia's southeast coast line. Cleared candidates looking for second careers may want to learn more about ‘Pentagon South,' the new moniker for the growing hub of military installations and related businesses that continue to come in. The job market runs from Williamsburg through Hampton Roads down to Virginia Beach. All told, Southeast Virginia is seeing large growth of security clearance job opportunities."In June, the Small Business Administration ranked the Hampton Roads region number one for the highest percentage of high impact firms," said Melissa Blankenship, marketing director, Defense and Homeland Security Consortium. "Next to D.C., we have the highest concentration of defense and homeland security jobs. Our ports provide a huge ship building business and they continually hire security-cleared personnel, from welders to maintenance to supervisors. We're bringing in 7,000 new jobs just for our distribution centers. As we continue to expand, we'll need more security-cleared workers." "Southeast Virginia is arguably the ship building capital of the USA, so jobs in the area follow suit. We see an ongoing need for systems engineers with naval backgrounds, welders, radar and IR techs and a host of IT jobs. There are requirements for security guards, training staff and plenty of contract administrators and proposal writers in Norfolk and the surrounding area." – Evan Lesser, Director, ClearanceJobs.comWith several dozen military facilities in the region, cities like Suffolk are welcoming some major players. Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics both have operations due to Suffolk's strategic proximity to U.S. Joint Forces Command."The growth is non-stop," said Blankenship. "This is a great place to work and a great place to live. We've got everything from the opera to monster truck shows. It's also affordable."With a whopping three quarters of the area's growth based on defense contracts, transitioning service members with an active clearance have tremendous job prospects.
Arlington County alone houses more than 600 federal contractors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics noted in late 2007 that Farifax County, home to Fort Belvoir and hundreds of defense contractors, showed an average weekly wage of $1,358, one of the highest in the country. The same report shows an even higher average weekly wage for Arlington county residents at $1,458. Industry analysts predict this area will continue to be a magnet for defense industry job opportunities, regardless of the outcome of the November 2008 presidential election. As long as contractors have to compete for federal dollars, they'll keep facilities up and running in close proximity to their funding sources.Another industry trend affecting the defense job market is the formation of corporate contracting partnerships. For example, numerous defense prime and sub-contractors will team up for the development of the Army's Future Combat Systems technologies. Boeing, SAIC, General Dynamics and BAE Systems are just a few that will work in conjunction with each other. This will open a wide range of opportunities in IT, engineering, management, assembly and other positions.As for quality of life, culture and good schools are part of the package in Northern Virginia, while housing prices can be a challenge. That's changing a little, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. It reports that inJuly, 2008, sales prices were lower than last year by more than 12 percent. That still leaves the median sales price at $399,000, but there are communities with lower priced homes. A CNN/Money poll puts Reston and Burke in the top 100 list of best places to live.Southeast VirginiaWhen it comes to security clearances and the job market, all roads lead to Hampton Roads — and extend outward like spokes along Virginia's southeast coast line. Cleared candidates looking for second careers may want to learn more about ‘Pentagon South,' the new moniker for the growing hub of military installations and related businesses that continue to come in. The job market runs from Williamsburg through Hampton Roads down to Virginia Beach. All told, Southeast Virginia is seeing large growth of security clearance job opportunities."In June, the Small Business Administration ranked the Hampton Roads region number one for the highest percentage of high impact firms," said Melissa Blankenship, marketing director, Defense and Homeland Security Consortium. "Next to D.C., we have the highest concentration of defense and homeland security jobs. Our ports provide a huge ship building business and they continually hire security-cleared personnel, from welders to maintenance to supervisors. We're bringing in 7,000 new jobs just for our distribution centers. As we continue to expand, we'll need more security-cleared workers." "Southeast Virginia is arguably the ship building capital of the USA, so jobs in the area follow suit. We see an ongoing need for systems engineers with naval backgrounds, welders, radar and IR techs and a host of IT jobs. There are requirements for security guards, training staff and plenty of contract administrators and proposal writers in Norfolk and the surrounding area." – Evan Lesser, Director, ClearanceJobs.comWith several dozen military facilities in the region, cities like Suffolk are welcoming some major players. Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics both have operations due to Suffolk's strategic proximity to U.S. Joint Forces Command."The growth is non-stop," said Blankenship. "This is a great place to work and a great place to live. We've got everything from the opera to monster truck shows. It's also affordable."With a whopping three quarters of the area's growth based on defense contracts, transitioning service members with an active clearance have tremendous job prospects.
Defence Jobs in Florida
The defense industry is swelling throughout this region, and Florida is a prime example. Florida now holds the distinction of being home to one of the nation's largest defense and homeland security clusters. The economic impact on the state is now at $52 billion.
Enterprise Florida, a partnership organization devoted to the state's economic development, reports that the military and defense communities now support more than 723,000 jobs. Factor in the extra $8 billion the defense industry is predicted to pump in over the next two years, and it equals great job prospects for candidates with the double asset of military experience and an active clearance.
Tampa/St. PetersburgThe Tampa/St. Petersburg region is no diamond in the rough. It's a multi-faceted defense hub, one that's becoming a showcase piece of job market geography. In the small space between the two cities, the relationship between the business, military and defense communities is getting closer all the time. In large part, this is due to the fact that Tampa serves as home to MacDill Air Force Base – the chief headquarters for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among MacDill's tenants are two strategic military commands — U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command. But the installation's impact falls well outside the gates, heavily influencing the aerospace and port industries, with Tampa sitting on the largest port in the state. The base also houses Coalition Village, a military cooperative coalition that the Air Force has dubbed ‘the nerve center' in the global War on Terror.
Given these sectors, there's an ongoing need for cleared personnel with technical, computer and engineering skills, as well as those with backgrounds in international affairs, intelligence, and languages. Other opportunities not directly related to security include life sciences, business and program management, and finance.
While BRAC relocated some jobs to MacDill, the bulk of civilian opportunities requiring clearances are those within companies directly doing business with the government. DRS, Harris, Boeing, Computer Sciences Corporation and L-3 Communications all have a strong presence here, and all have an ongoing demand for cleared personnel from a wide range of disciplines.
There is also a growing community of defense related firms involved in classified or ‘dark' operations. Understandably, these careers tend to stay below the radar. "Transitioning service members and civilians with active security clearances may be well qualified to step into these restrictive positions," says Evan Lesser, Director of secure job placement website ClearanceJobs.com. "Finding these jobs can be tough, as they aren't usually advertised in public." Best idea? Posting resumes on sites like ClearanceJobs.com where employers staffing these roles tend to search and contact candidates rather than posting job announcements. This way, candidates can get assistance from firms that have cultivated a long standing reputation for connecting qualified personnel with industry hiring managers.
Outside the defense sector, the high tech industry is also hot, employing more than 56,000 workers. And according to Maryanne Fiala, executive director, American Electronics Association, Florida Council, this industry continues to grow. "There are security clearance requirements for a number of these jobs," said Fiala. "But even if the job doesn't require one, having a security clearance is never a disadvantage. Employers always see it as a value-add for future work with the government."
As for quality of life in Tampa and St. Petersburg, the two cities have a large military retiree community with three VA hospitals and the largest base exchange in the nation. The median home price of $228,000 is below the national average, but there are lower priced homes in good communities. Fiala said recent salary surveys put the average salary for technical workers at $64,400.
Enterprise Florida, a partnership organization devoted to the state's economic development, reports that the military and defense communities now support more than 723,000 jobs. Factor in the extra $8 billion the defense industry is predicted to pump in over the next two years, and it equals great job prospects for candidates with the double asset of military experience and an active clearance.
Tampa/St. PetersburgThe Tampa/St. Petersburg region is no diamond in the rough. It's a multi-faceted defense hub, one that's becoming a showcase piece of job market geography. In the small space between the two cities, the relationship between the business, military and defense communities is getting closer all the time. In large part, this is due to the fact that Tampa serves as home to MacDill Air Force Base – the chief headquarters for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among MacDill's tenants are two strategic military commands — U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command. But the installation's impact falls well outside the gates, heavily influencing the aerospace and port industries, with Tampa sitting on the largest port in the state. The base also houses Coalition Village, a military cooperative coalition that the Air Force has dubbed ‘the nerve center' in the global War on Terror.
Given these sectors, there's an ongoing need for cleared personnel with technical, computer and engineering skills, as well as those with backgrounds in international affairs, intelligence, and languages. Other opportunities not directly related to security include life sciences, business and program management, and finance.
While BRAC relocated some jobs to MacDill, the bulk of civilian opportunities requiring clearances are those within companies directly doing business with the government. DRS, Harris, Boeing, Computer Sciences Corporation and L-3 Communications all have a strong presence here, and all have an ongoing demand for cleared personnel from a wide range of disciplines.
There is also a growing community of defense related firms involved in classified or ‘dark' operations. Understandably, these careers tend to stay below the radar. "Transitioning service members and civilians with active security clearances may be well qualified to step into these restrictive positions," says Evan Lesser, Director of secure job placement website ClearanceJobs.com. "Finding these jobs can be tough, as they aren't usually advertised in public." Best idea? Posting resumes on sites like ClearanceJobs.com where employers staffing these roles tend to search and contact candidates rather than posting job announcements. This way, candidates can get assistance from firms that have cultivated a long standing reputation for connecting qualified personnel with industry hiring managers.
Outside the defense sector, the high tech industry is also hot, employing more than 56,000 workers. And according to Maryanne Fiala, executive director, American Electronics Association, Florida Council, this industry continues to grow. "There are security clearance requirements for a number of these jobs," said Fiala. "But even if the job doesn't require one, having a security clearance is never a disadvantage. Employers always see it as a value-add for future work with the government."
As for quality of life in Tampa and St. Petersburg, the two cities have a large military retiree community with three VA hospitals and the largest base exchange in the nation. The median home price of $228,000 is below the national average, but there are lower priced homes in good communities. Fiala said recent salary surveys put the average salary for technical workers at $64,400.
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