Energy Industry Needs More Veterans as Demand for Skilled Workers Grows

John Broschak has seen firsthand how technically savvy veterans can make a smooth transition into the booming energy field.

After all, it happened to him.

Broschak left the Navy after serving eight years (1984-1992) and was a bit perplexed as to how his skills as a nuclear-trained submarine officer would translate to the civilian sphere. Broschak found his lane in the nuclear power field, eventually becoming vice president of engineering at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operation Corporation and VP of Generation Operations at Consumers Energy.

Following retirement in 2022, Broschak became a veteran career coach for the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD), helping other former service members find rewarding careers after the military.

Through the center’s Troops to Energy Jobs initiative, Broschak directs veterans on how to land careers in a growing field.

Energy jobs will be one of the most in-demand markets in the next couple of decades, Broschak told Military.com.

While veterans’ skills fresh out of the military often translate well to energy sectors, the pathway to those roles isn’t always clear, even while energy employers are facing increased pressure to fill vacant positions.

Veterans often have years of experience in electrical systems, mechanical work, operations and safety occupations, which can apply to jobs as line workers, technicians and grid operators.

According to the CEWD, while veterans make up about 9% of the energy workforce, there’s still plenty of room to grow.

“We want to make veterans and employers aware of this trend because it could strengthen both veteran employment and the energy market,” Broschak said.

From Marine to Production Manager

Matthew Miller, a Marine Corps veteran, benefited greatly from the Troops to Energy Jobs program.

Miller serves as a manufacturing production manager at PowerSecure in Durham, N.C.

The former captain served on active duty in the Marine Corps from 2020-2025, working on aircraft as a maintenance officer. He’s still involved in the Corps as a reservist.

“This job was all-encompassing (with) production and maintenance project management, supply chain and logistics optimization and leadership of anywhere between 40–300 personnel to meet operational demands and readiness metrics for the Marine Corps aviation community,” Miller told Military.com

After coming home from a long deployment, Miller separated from service and the stark reality of life as a civilian hit fast.

“I had to get my ducks in a row both prior to and during deployment,” Miller said. “The government hiring freeze in 2025 significantly changed the plans I had made in the year prior; however, there are a lot of resources that helped make this transition quite smooth that I was fortunate to have the opportunity to use.” Resources like Troops to Energy.

When he left the Corps in 2025, Miller searched for a role that capitalized on the unique skill set he developed in the military. While it took a while, Miller finally got connected to a job he enjoys.

“After multiple career fairs and job interviews throughout the year, I took a leap of faith and signed up for the Troops to Energy Jobs program after meeting a representative at one career fair,” he said. “I spoke with a veteran career coach and received some incredible guidance on how my military experience can translate directly to a successful career in the energy industry.”

The coaching session helped Miller land multiple job offers from PowerSecure, and he chose the manufacturing production manager opportunity, tapping into the leadership niche he honed in the military.

“I get to lead multiple teams of manufacturing professionals that produce the structures of the company’s microgrid generator modules, which is a very similar feel to leading teams of aviation professionals that make aircraft fly,” Miller said. “From browsing Troops to Energy to accepting a job offer was a remarkably quick three-week process, and had it not been for Troops to Energy, I likely would have never found this role or this company, which has been an excellent career choice.”

Miller believes veterans are well-suited for the energy industry because they’ve faced similar situations in defending the nation.

The face value, terminology and culture may be different, but the concepts of leading through chaos, thinking critically and accomplishing the mission are transferable everywhere, Miller said. Veterans of all backgrounds bring work ethic, leadership, people skills and task-orientation to the forefront of everything they do.

With the rise in renewable energy jobs and the unprecedented boom of artificial intelligence, energy careers are not going away. And Miller feels veterans will be available to meet the moment.

“Veterans will treat this growth as their next mission,” Miller said, “and just as they did while in the service, they will get that mission done.”