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How is Uber is helping Veterans?
How Uber is Helping Veterans
By ROBERT GATES and TRAVIS KALANICK
September 17, 2014
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/09/robert-gates-uber-veterans-111039.html#ixzz3DgHRolEX
or those who have served our country in the post-9/11 era, unemployment is nearly twice the national average. The rate for our youngest veterans — those under 25 — is more than three times the national unemployment average at a staggering 21.4 percent, and 25 percent of military spouses are also unemployed. Even more daunting is that over the next five years we can expect to see 300,000 service members transition to the civilian workforce every year.
It is with that in mind that we have launched UberMILITARY. Over the next 18 months, Uber will bring 50,000 service members, veterans and military spouses onto the Uber platform as drivers, empowering them as entrepreneurs and small business owners. To deliver on this goal, we’ve created the UberMILITARY Advisory Board and are building out a team of subject-matter experts who will continue to put forward new initiatives to positively impact military communities.
Why does the problem of veteran unemployment and underemployment persist? Too often, businesses do not have a clear understanding of how service members’ skills might translate to the civilian workplace. UberMILITARY is a reflection that high-quality service, an unparalleled commitment to safety and the leadership potential inherent to small business entrepreneurship are values shared by those who have selflessly served our country. Not surprisingly, veterans on the Uber platform today consistently rank among our top-rated partner drivers and make more trips with Uber than non-veteran partners.
Driving with Uber represents a unique entrepreneurial opportunity for the military community – with thousands of veterans already taking part. Partners on the Uber platform enjoy tremendous flexibility. Many who begin driving with a single car end up owning and managing a fleet of vehicles. All drivers are their own boss from day one: they set their own hours with immediate access to customers and a steady and growing income. Particularly for military spouses who struggle with joblessness due to frequent relocations —eight moves on average over a 20-year career — Uber represents an inherently portable form of income generation.
UberMILITARY is working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program to streamline Uber’s partner on-boarding process for the military community. Beginning this week, we are connecting directly with thousands of service members, veterans and their families at events around the country. On the ground, our targeted recruiting efforts include free rides to job fairs, special referral bonuses for UberMILITARY partners, waived city fees or deposits, and special information sessions and office hours.
Uber is transforming the fabric of more than 200 cities across the U.S. and around the world – increasing affordable and reliable transportation options, delivering unmatched earning potential to drivers, reducing drunk driving rates and powering local economic activity. With hundreds of thousands of driver partners already on the platform and thousands of new jobs created by the platform every day, Uber is revolutionizing the way people move, work and live.
Starting now, through UberMILITARY, this transformational opportunity will be delivered even more quickly to our military communities. Time and again, our service men and women have committed to serving our country, and UBERMILITARY is committed to serving them with the economic opportunity, flexibility and entrepreneurship that are the foundation of the Uber platform.
Robert Gates served as secretary of defense to President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama from 2006 to 2011. He serves as volunteer chairman of the UberMILITARY Advisory Board.
Travis Kalanick is the CEO & co-founder of Uber Technologies, Inc.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/09/robert-gates-uber-veterans-111039.html#ixzz3DgHnqV9l
How Uber is Helping Veterans
By ROBERT GATES and TRAVIS KALANICK
September 17, 2014
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/09/robert-gates-uber-veterans-111039.html#ixzz3DgHRolEX
or those who have served our country in the post-9/11 era, unemployment is nearly twice the national average. The rate for our youngest veterans — those under 25 — is more than three times the national unemployment average at a staggering 21.4 percent, and 25 percent of military spouses are also unemployed. Even more daunting is that over the next five years we can expect to see 300,000 service members transition to the civilian workforce every year.
It is with that in mind that we have launched UberMILITARY. Over the next 18 months, Uber will bring 50,000 service members, veterans and military spouses onto the Uber platform as drivers, empowering them as entrepreneurs and small business owners. To deliver on this goal, we’ve created the UberMILITARY Advisory Board and are building out a team of subject-matter experts who will continue to put forward new initiatives to positively impact military communities.
Why does the problem of veteran unemployment and underemployment persist? Too often, businesses do not have a clear understanding of how service members’ skills might translate to the civilian workplace. UberMILITARY is a reflection that high-quality service, an unparalleled commitment to safety and the leadership potential inherent to small business entrepreneurship are values shared by those who have selflessly served our country. Not surprisingly, veterans on the Uber platform today consistently rank among our top-rated partner drivers and make more trips with Uber than non-veteran partners.
Driving with Uber represents a unique entrepreneurial opportunity for the military community – with thousands of veterans already taking part. Partners on the Uber platform enjoy tremendous flexibility. Many who begin driving with a single car end up owning and managing a fleet of vehicles. All drivers are their own boss from day one: they set their own hours with immediate access to customers and a steady and growing income. Particularly for military spouses who struggle with joblessness due to frequent relocations —eight moves on average over a 20-year career — Uber represents an inherently portable form of income generation.
UberMILITARY is working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program to streamline Uber’s partner on-boarding process for the military community. Beginning this week, we are connecting directly with thousands of service members, veterans and their families at events around the country. On the ground, our targeted recruiting efforts include free rides to job fairs, special referral bonuses for UberMILITARY partners, waived city fees or deposits, and special information sessions and office hours.
Uber is transforming the fabric of more than 200 cities across the U.S. and around the world – increasing affordable and reliable transportation options, delivering unmatched earning potential to drivers, reducing drunk driving rates and powering local economic activity. With hundreds of thousands of driver partners already on the platform and thousands of new jobs created by the platform every day, Uber is revolutionizing the way people move, work and live.
Starting now, through UberMILITARY, this transformational opportunity will be delivered even more quickly to our military communities. Time and again, our service men and women have committed to serving our country, and UBERMILITARY is committed to serving them with the economic opportunity, flexibility and entrepreneurship that are the foundation of the Uber platform.
Robert Gates served as secretary of defense to President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama from 2006 to 2011. He serves as volunteer chairman of the UberMILITARY Advisory Board.
Travis Kalanick is the CEO & co-founder of Uber Technologies, Inc.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/09/robert-gates-uber-veterans-111039.html#ixzz3DgHnqV9l
How Uber is Helping Veterans
Posted from politico.com
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Posted >1 y ago
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Uber is also running different promotions to help with the launch of UberMILITARY. I think the best one is in the state of New York. They are waiving all of the start up costs, to include their mandatory driver phone deposit. Read about the other states and their incentives in the link below.
http://www.mymilitarymoney.com/ubermilitary-to-hire-50000-members/
http://www.mymilitarymoney.com/ubermilitary-to-hire-50000-members/
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The UberMILITARY sign-up link wasn't intuitive to find, so I thought I'd post it here -
https://get.uber.com/cl/ubermilitary/
https://get.uber.com/cl/ubermilitary/
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Uber is has set an aggressive target to welcome 50,000 veterans and military spouses to its ranks within 18 months. As a former infantry officer, I think this is incredible because it gives people flexibility. It means there is virtually NO reason someone should lack a source of income right after leaving the military, or due to a PCS with a military spouse--long as they are in a city with Uber (216 cities and growing). It seems to fit a lot of things:
- Going to college? Work at Uber during spare time, but around your papers and such.
- Haven't found the right job yet? Work at Uber until the right thing comes along.
- Want to be a writer or artist, or follow some other passion that might not be immediately financially rewarding? Work at Uber for the money & meet interesting people. Write or paint for the passion.
- You're a spouse but your job isn't very portable for PCS? Work at Uber, but be home for the kids after school if you wish.
People can sign up and be driving within 2 weeks: t.uber.com/MilitaryWA
- Going to college? Work at Uber during spare time, but around your papers and such.
- Haven't found the right job yet? Work at Uber until the right thing comes along.
- Want to be a writer or artist, or follow some other passion that might not be immediately financially rewarding? Work at Uber for the money & meet interesting people. Write or paint for the passion.
- You're a spouse but your job isn't very portable for PCS? Work at Uber, but be home for the kids after school if you wish.
People can sign up and be driving within 2 weeks: t.uber.com/MilitaryWA
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