Veterans put skills on line at Toyota Texas

Albert Escamilla said he entered the military because he sought structure in his life, not just because a couple of family members had joined the armed forces.

by Arnaldo Rodgers

A San Antonio native, Escamilla spent more than nine years with the U.S. Army Reserves, a time he found rewarding. “I lear ned about things such as discipline and work ethic,” Escamilla said. “You’re not given a choice to not be successful.”

When he left the Army Reserves, Escamilla was excited by the announcement that Toyota Motor Manufacturing would build a pickup assembly plant in San Antonio. He thought it would be an ideal place to start a new civilian career, using what he learned in the Army.

A human resources specialist and veterans liaison at Toyota Texas, Escamilla has been with the South San Antonio factory since it began operations in 2006.

“Being in staffing and hiring, I’ve learned a lot about what veterans have to offer and what Toyota looks for in an employee,” Escamilla said. “It’s very structured here.”

The ranks of military veterans keep growing at Toyota Texas. Since 2010, the plant has hired more than 40 veterans to work on its maintenance staff alone. Veterans account for 20 percent of the plant’s skilled maintenance force, company officials said.

“Although we do not have a target ratio, we actively recruit veterans for all positions at (Toyota Texas) — both hourly and salaried. The ratio will fluctuate based on hiring and attrition,” Escamilla said.

Dave Henson spent 28 years with the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of senior master sergeant. When he retired, he wanted to work at the Toyota plant, but he didn’t have any applicable skills. So he joined Aerotek, a staffing agency that processes applications for production assignments at Toyota Texas.

Henson was assigned to the plant’s body welding department, where he learned the necessary skills on the job. He’s now a full-time production team member.

Over time, he discovered the the military and Toyota share several traits: discipline is required, expectations are high, and the work is physically demanding.

“It’s like a mission. You’re expected to perform at a high level to help produce a high quality product and stay with the task until it’s completed,” Henson said. Another thing they have in common is collaboration.

“The military whips you into shape,” Escamilla said. “Once you’re here, you’re part of a team. You have opportunities to help each other and to contribute in making improvements.”

In recruiting military veterans, Toyota Texas engages military support groups, such as the Non Commissioned Officers Association, Recruit Military and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hire Our Heroes initiative. Many military units tour the plant.

Additionally, company representatives staff job fairs and set up partnerships with area military posts. Mario Lozoya, Toyota’s government relations and external affairs director, is an honorary commander for the 433rd Wing Operations Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. His purpose there is to understand the functions of servicemen and -women and how they relate to the community.

“Veterans come to Toyota with a high level of discipline. That discipline translates in many ways, but the most important is following safety rules, reliability and teamwork,” Escamilla said. “We pursue hiring veterans because we feel that it is the least we can do based on the sacrifices they have made.”