Dave Giannou is a retired lieutenant-commander in the navy who has been hired by the veterans support program Helmets to Hardhats Canada. He will serve as an Atlantic representative and will try to help former military personnel in the region find new employment in the construction industry.
Giannou stated:
“We are a family, we always take care of our own so this is an opportunity for me to give back to the family. We’re dedicating this position to work with the Atlantic provinces. I’ve already met with some of the labour relations associations and with some of the union representatives as well to see what opportunities are out there.”
The labour industry is currently facing severe shortages and this is an opportunity for veterans to find some work. Giannou said that vets have many skills that are transferable to the construction industry.
He added:
“A lot of our trades have a background in construction, manufacturing, iron-working, steel-working, engineering, these are all transferable trades but the military tend to train for our job and it’s difficult for members to recognize how they can transition that into a civilian trade so that’s our job.”
