USA
In appreciation of Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada, National Express School (NEXS), part of the group’s North American operations, recognised its veteran and military personnel team members with personalised veteran-themed vests as a token of appreciation for their service and bravery. Each vest is stitched with a flag to indicate the team member’s representative country of service and the logo of the company they served with.
The appreciation event was part of National Express’ Veterans Recognition Programme, which aims to give special thanks and well-deserved recognition to its veteran and military personnel team members. As a military friendly employer, over 800 team members participated in the appreciation event and received a vest and thank you card. The company says it prides itself as being an employer of choice that is dedicated to employing a diverse workforce and that it is proud to provide a diverse portfolio of career opportunities to veterans and military personnel who are looking for both part-time and full-time positions.
“Recruiting veterans as school bus drivers is a top priority for us,” said Director of Talent Acquisition Yvonne Valdes. “They are a great fit as school bus drivers due to their disciplined and responsible nature developed through military training. Veterans also possess an extraordinary level of problem-solving skills and have a strong commitment to safety, which makes them reliable individuals who prioritise the well-being of students. We are honoured to have so many of them as part of the National Express team.”
“I served in the U.S. Airforce and was stationed in Germany, where I earned my Class A licence. This gave me the opportunity to drive an array of large military vehicles such as fire trucks and tankers,” said Boise school bus driver Chris Heck. “After being discharged, I brought these skills and experience home where I became a school bus driver for my local community. The military instilled a strong work ethic in me and helped me develop a strong sense of honour and responsibility to those around me – especially the students I drive to school. I highly encourage all veterans to pursue available training grants and opportunities to learn new skills such as driving commercial vehicles and explore rewarding careers such as that of a school bus driver.”