The Ball Aerospace SkillBridge Program gives Active Duty military members who will soon transition into civilian life a chance to gain valuable work experience through specific industry training and development. Ball Aerospace is proud to be an authorized SkillBridge organization through the Department of Defense, bridging the skills of Service members to their new civilian careers.

Active Duty military can participate anytime during their final 180 days of service. The program is designed to provide the candidate and our organization value in a strategic skillset match, candidate development and a path to potential regular employment. Ultimately, we are looking for transitioning service members to join our team after completion of the program in numerous job categories. Military members who are considering participating in the program can search our careers site to see what positions may be of interest.

Jared Ruger, a senior human resources generalist at Ball Corporation, remembers what it’s like to make the transition to the civilian job market. He completed eight years of service in the Army in 2015, then joined Ball in 2018 after earning a bachelor’s degree.

“I struggled in the job-search process because there were so many variables to consider. How do my skills transfer? What level of job should I apply for?” Ruger said. “I had to research, explore different organizations and build a diverse network of supporters to help me answer these questions during the transition.”

The Ball Aerospace SkillBridge program aims to ease the process and help Service members find a sense of belonging at Ball.

“These individuals come from all walks of life, representing a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds, genders, religions and races,” says Stevan Richards, a senior talent acquisition specialist at Ball Aerospace. “Moreover, they bring a diverse set of translatable practical, hands-on experience, leadership skills and discipline that is unique to military service and extremely valuable in the private sector and our organization, in particular.”

This support for service members taking their next career step contributes to both Ball Aerospace’s success and to a stronger military. At Ball, the transition process for veterans does not end upon finding civilian employment. Our Veterans Ball Network was established to provide opportunities to build community and camaraderie for veterans and non-veterans within our organization. The VBRG provides support and networking opportunities, participation in recruitment, retention and advancement activities supporting an inclusive environment.