In observance of Veteran’s Day this November, QTS Data Centers highlights its continued support of veterans and active military across the country, from former military working within the company to outreach campaigns for those still serving. The company has woven a deep appreciation for military sacrifices into the fabric of the company culture, like volunteering, corporate giving, and actively recruiting those with a military background. Over 21 percent of QTS staff comes from a military service background, and part of making these individuals feel welcomed into the civilian workforce is creating a network of support. In 2022, QTS developed Veterans Empowering Technology (VET) as a belonging and engagement group. Membership in the group is open to all QTS employees to support veterans and their families by coordinating veteran-centric activities, encouraging dialogue, giving and offering support, hearing their perspectives, as well as learning, growing, and connecting with others.
Company Recognition
QTS leadership has made it a priority to provide employment options for service members. The company’s work was recently acknowledged by VIQTORY, awarding QTS a Military Friendly® Employer – Silver Award. The designation is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community, and this is the second time QTS has been awarded.
Military Times also alerted the company in November that QTS had been selected as a Best for Vets Employer, scoring companies on employment policies, recruiting and hiring veterans with disabilities, overall hiring practices, and support services that bolster America’s veterans.
Success in the mission-critical data center industry is largely dependent on our team members’ ability to perform at a very high level, on an extremely consistent basis,” said Tag Greason, QTS Chief Growth Officer. “As a former military officer, I know that prior service individuals come with a heightened attention to detail, an acknowledgement of ‘mission over self,’ and a recognition of the importance of teamwork. These qualities make our veteran workforce invaluable to what we do every day. I am proud that 21.7% of our workforce has a military background and look forward to that percentage growing over time.”
Volunteering
QTS provides paid volunteer time for employees, and, with internal groups like VET, the company also coordinates opportunities for employees to give back to veterans while at work. One example of such a collaboration occurred during September and October 2023. VET members partnered with Troopster, a nonprofit that sends care packages to troops deployed across the globe. Coordinating with Troopster and promoting internally, VET brought staff across all QTS locations together, packed and shipped 7,000 care packages to military deployed overseas.
“The support that QTS gives our veterans and active military is awe inspiring,” said former Army Capt. Greg Wuestner, a QTS employee and co-president of VET. “I know the impact these care packages make, especially with the quality goods being sent. Receiving a package like this when I was deployed was always a morale boost because it served as a reminder that our country back home was thinking of and supporting us. I’m glad I work for a company that lets me volunteer in ways to encourage those serving now.”
Corporate Giving
Philanthropy is a key part of QTS’ core values, and the company recently was the presenting sponsor at the C2MS Golf Invitational in October. The benefit raised over $145,000 for the organization, Stop Solider Suicide. QTS staff, major contractors, supplies and customers were part of the major contributions that led to the success of the fundraiser, which will support veterans in crisis across the country.
“Giving our time, talent and treasure is our focus,” said Vice President of Community Impact David Murray. “We want to continue to support organizations, like Stop Solider Suicide, that make a real impact, which hits close to home for our people. Because nearly one-fourth of our employees are veterans, QTS is proud to partner with organizations that help our service men and women lead better lives because they have given so much for all of us.”
Talent Recruitment
Service members have been a core focus of QTS’ talent acquisition to grow a diversified workforce. Veterans add critical essential, technical, and interpersonal skills fostering an environment of ownership, service before self, and community, which strongly aligns with QTS’ core values. For service members preparing to transition out of the military, QTS works with the Department of Defense as part of the DOD SkillBridge program, which matches military members with civilian opportunities based on their job training and work experience. These internship opportunities support transitioning service members by providing hands-on experience learning about QTS and data center core operations while expanding the intern’s business knowledge in a real-time environment. Participants may be eligible to use the last 180 days of service to train and learn with QTS.
Talent recruiters regularly attend military-specific job fairs to provide options for service members in the next phase of their career. Veterans are encouraged to apply for open positions on QTS’ career page.