Airbus partnerships propel veterans into civilian careers

Transitioning from military service to a civilian career can be a challenging journey to navigate. But for U.S. Army veteran Chayse Teague, participating in Airbus’ partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program made for a seamless transition. The program landed him in a role he truly values: ensuring the safety and quality of commercial aircraft delivered from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama.

Airbus Veteran

Teague spent 12 years as a Blackhawk helicopter mechanic in the U.S. Army, and the skills he acquired have translated perfectly to the civilian sector at Airbus. Now serving as a Flight Line Quality Assurance Inspector for Airbus’ A320 Family aircraft, he credits his military background for his success in commercial aviation.

"One of the things the military teaches you is problem-solving and attention to detail, which is huge in a quality assurance role," Teague said. “As soon as an aircraft passes its final checks here, it goes out to the commercial side. Each plane holds 150 to 200 passengers — who could be your family members or friends. It’s a profound opportunity to continue serving the country.”

Teague is one of four recent participants in the Skillbridge program at the U.S. Manufacturing Facility. Each participant has successfully navigated the program and landed a full-time role. 

U.S. Coast Guard veteran Hunter Montgomery experienced a similarly smooth transition through SkillBridge. After a six-year military career encompassing search and rescue and equipment maintenance, Montgomery joined Airbus as a technician for the autonomous drilling units used to assemble aircraft. He noted that selecting a career path at Airbus felt natural, guided by his alignment with the company’s core values of teamwork, respect, and integrity.

Airbus Veteran

"The standards Airbus upholds for training and quality do not deviate, which is very much like the military,” Montgomery said. “It’s a set standard. You know what you're walking into and exactly what you need to accomplish day in and day out."

Evan Roper, another Skillbridge program participant now employed full-time at Airbus, previously worked in the U.S. Air Force calibrating avionics equipment on C-17s. Now, he works on Mobile’s ground test inspection team.

Roper said he would recommend anyone transitioning out of the military to check with Skillbridge about new opportunities.

“Skillbridge is a great transition tool because you essentially have a working interview for three to four months doing the exact job you’ll be doing if hired full time,” he said. “I’d say the majority of our ground test team is former military, so the culture is almost the exact same. It’s like you’re doing civilian work with your old buddies.”

Airbus Veteran

To help more service members find similar success, Airbus recently announced two strategic partnerships with Heroes MAKE America and Hiring Our Heroes. These partnerships strengthen the company's commitment to veteran hiring by fostering a direct pipeline for a highly skilled, disciplined workforce.

"Partnering with organizations like Hiring Our Heroes and Heroes Make America reflects our deep commitment to those who have served our Nation,” said Caroline Jecko-Parkes, Head of Human Resources for Airbus in North America. “Continuing to bridge the gap between military experience and the aerospace industry goes beyond filing roles. We are welcoming talents whose discipline, adaptability, and dedication strengthen teamwork at Airbus. We are One." 

The Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America program (HMA) helps employers access an often-underutilized workforce: transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses who bring technical expertise, leadership, discipline and experience working in high-performance environments.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program (HOH) connects veterans and military spouses with opportunities at civilian companies across all industries and has one of the largest reaches of any Veteran Service Organization (VSO), reaching nearly 270,000 transitioning service members per year. 

The SkillBridge program allows transitioning service members to spend up to their final 180 days of active duty gaining civilian work experience through fellowships, apprenticeships, or training while continuing to receive full military pay and benefits. 

Visit Airbus’ careers page to learn more about opportunities at Airbus in the U.S.