New Salesforce survey shows that 86% of people in the U.S. say military veterans make companies stronger

Every year, thousands of veterans leave the military with unique experiences and the desire to serve in fulfilling roles in the private sector. Veterans and military spouses offer skills that can make them exemplary employees, such as a proven ability to learn new trades and concepts. Yet, many face obstacles to employment because they often have challenges converting skills gained in the military to private sector jobs. 

At Salesforce, we’re committed to investing in the workforce of the future through our diverse set of programs, which are focused on training, reskilling, and hiring people for the technology jobs of tomorrow.

That’s why we’re proud to announce that Salesforce is doubling our commitment to military Trailblazers by increasing our training goal from 40,000 veterans and military spouses to 80,000 over the next five years, and continuing to help them connect with companies and partners in the Salesforce ecosystem. 

In addition to doubling our training commitment, and in honor of General Colin Powell’s service to our country, Salesforce is also donating $1 million to organizations focused on workforce development, education, and veterans. General Powell had a foundational impact on Salesforce as a mentor to our Chairman & CEO Marc Benioff, and as a member of our Board of Directors.

Salesforce survey shows that people value having veterans in the workforce

We’re also releasing new insights from a Salesforce survey of more than 2,000 U.S. respondents that shows:

• The overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. say military veterans are valuable to the workplace (91%) and make companies stronger (86%).
• Most respondents say hiring military veterans is part of creating an inclusive culture at work (84%), and a large majority (86%) say it is an important part of a company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
• But 2 in 3 (65%) say that most companies are not prepared to successfully attract, hire, and retain military veterans.

Salesforce Military upskills, reskills veterans and active-duty military spouses

Workforce development is a natural extension of Salesforce’s values. We want to empower a diverse and qualified workforce with the skills needed for the 21st Century to ensure their future success.

Six years ago, we started Salesforce Military, a free program committed to upskilling military community members by offering one single certification for Salesforce Administrator roles. Those initial veteran training classes sparked a thriving Salesforce Military community that continues to grow today. Today, veterans, reservists, and active-duty military spouses are tackling Salesforce certifications for every cloud and industry, and successfully rising through the ranks at their companies. 

Since then, Salesforce Military has upskilled and reskilled a growing community of military Trailblazers with high-demand technology skills and certifications, and helped them launch careers through the Salesforce Talent Alliance. The Salesforce Talent Alliance consists of 700+ companies around the world that have pledged inclusive hiring practices and devoting 20% of their hiring to net new talent. 

Existing military skills combined with Salesforce certifications can qualify a veteran for a job with an average starting salary of $87,000 annually. Since 2020, our investment of $2.2 million in the Salesforce Military Fellowship Program to help provide work to unemployed veterans and military spouses, has yielded the equivalent of $9.3 million in annual salaries for veterans and military spouses.

That includes Military Trailblazers like Army veteran Kyle Morris, who founded his own company, Kicksaw, and is now part of the Talent Alliance which hires military talent to drive its companies growth. It also includes Air Force veteran Janelle Fields, who leveraged the Salesforce Military Fellowship Program to land a full-time software engineer role at USAA. Both Kyle and Janelle are examples of how military veterans have built fulfilling careers in technology through Salesforce Military.

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How customers and partners can access a diverse pool of military talent

We believe in building a workforce that better represents society — not just internally but through our partners and customers.

With our partners and customers at our side, we’re prepared for a more thriving future built from the expertise and passion of diverse military Trailblazers. The Salesforce Talent Alliance helps connect employers to Salesforce candidates and brings new talent, including military community members, into the ecosystem, emphasizing building a diverse workforce that reflects society around the globe.

This is why Salesforce is investing in the military community by doubling our commitment and supporting organizations focused on workforce development, education, and veterans. Those who have taken the leap and blazed new trails with us have helped us write a playbook for success that we want to keep driving forward to train and place more talented veterans in the Salesforce ecosystem. 

Whether you’re a hiring company or a veteran — we welcome you to join us in this journey to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce. 

For more information:

Listen to this Blazing Trails podcast featuring Taylor Justice, co-founder and President of Unite Us, and Sam Allen, Chief Operating Officer at Salesforce.org on why hiring military veterans is good business:

• Check out this short animated Salesforce Military video about how the program works
• Take a look at the *new* Salesforce Military website
• How Wounded Warrior Project Uses Data to Support Veterans’ Needs
• Veterans Leverage Their Pro Bono Skills to Rise to the Call of Duty from Afar