Built for Safety: How Veterans Strengthen AWP Safety

Every day, AWP Safety crews protect drivers, pedestrians and infrastructure workers on roadways across the country. That work calls for people who stay focused under pressure, follow protocol and look out for others — qualities many veterans developed during their military service. 

This Veterans Day, AWP Safety honors those who have served, including the veterans who continue to protect their communities as part of the AWP team. 

Andrew Sarachman, talent acquisition manager at AWP Safety, explains why veteran recruiting is a priority and how military experience translates into a lasting career.

A Shared Safety Mindset

Safety is at the core of every AWP Safety job, from setting up a lane closure to inspecting an active work zone. Military service builds the same priorities: situational awareness, respect for protocol and a commitment to protecting the people around you. Veterans bring those habits with them, which makes them a natural fit for work where safety comes first.

“Especially in the field, where safety is the highest priority, having someone who is trained to think that way is extremely valuable for us,” says Sarachman.

Sarachman sees the connection in character. Many of the same traits that lead someone to serve their country also draw them to a career built around keeping drivers, crews and communities safe.

Skills that Carry Over

Leadership, discipline, accountability and the ability to stay focused through adversity make veterans strong candidates across the company. Those traits are especially valuable in field supervisor and area manager roles, where team members lead crews, conduct job site inspections and make decisions in active work zones.

Many members of AWP Safety’s environmental, health and safety (EHS) team are also veterans. “Their ability to lead, identify safety issues and follow protocols has really led to success,” Sarachman says.

Opportunities extend well beyond the field. As AWP Safety continues to grow, the company needs strong leaders in every department, and veterans arrive ready to step into those roles and grow with the company.

Meeting Service Members Where They Are At

AWP Safety connects with veterans through partnerships with Disabled American Veterans (DAV), local American Legion posts and RecruitMilitary. Each year, the company attends four to five RecruitMilitary job fairs for transitioning service members, veterans and their families, with recent stops in San Antonio, Dallas, Tampa and Atlanta, as well as on base at Fort Bragg and Naval Station Norfolk.

Many candidates ask how their military experience will translate to civilian work, and some are unfamiliar with traffic control altogether. Once they learn more, Sarachman says, they see it as a strong option that “aligns with a lot of their past experiences and the transferable skills they developed in the military.”

Military families are part of the picture, too. AWP Safety regularly hires spouses and family members who have relocated with a service member and are looking for work in a new community.

Continuing to Serve

For many veterans, the appeal comes back to purpose. Traffic control is a public service. Every lane closure, flagging operation and work zone setup helps protect the people traveling through it so they can return home safely to their families.

Sarachman sees that impact firsthand. “We’re providing safety and service to our direct community,” he says. “I’ll drive down the road and see our field supervisors out on job sites. That’s really cool.”

Meet Our Veterans

We asked: How have the skills you gained in the military helped you in your role at AWP Safety?

 

Nathan Brooks – Sr. Field Supervisor, South Business Unit
8 Years of Service
U.S. Army E5

“(LDRSHIP) Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage – the core army values are something that I have used daily over the last 10 years with AWP and it has helped me become the leader I am today.”

 

 

Cameron Gardehl – EHS Director, North BU
25 Years of Service
U.S. Army Master Sergeant

“My time in the military taught me four important life lessons:
1. Team is always more important than the individual.
2. Battlefield Patience – never react out of anger or hostility; establish the objective, identify the facts, recognize the patterns, formulate a plan and execute with a purpose.
3. Nothing is ever executed as planned. Have a backup plan, be flexible, shift on the fly with focus; success is not pretty or perfect, but it is the only acceptable outcome, so embrace the suck and move out.
4. Cursing is a term of endearment.”

 

 

Joe Spencer – Vice President, Strategic Alliances
7 Years of Service
U.S. Navy Lieutenant

“The navy gives a young person a high degree of responsibility for people and equipment. This experience helped build a foundation of teamwork, trust, and ownership that has stayed with me since. Interestingly, these are the same foundational traits of AWP Safety!”

Thank you!

This Veterans Day, AWP Safety thanks all who have served and welcomes the veterans ready to bring their experience to a new mission on the road.