November is National Veterans and Military Families Month. It’s always important to thank those who have served the United States in any military capacity. They are heroes even if they don’t see themselves as heroes. They do things that one can only dream of ever doing. For this, we are thankful to them.
Since 2012, The Walt Disney Company’s Heroes Work Here program has hired thousands of veterans and active-duty military personnel to become part of the magic. With these thousands of veterans also come thousands of stories. One of them is Juan Garcia. He saw his dream come true when he transitioned from the Disney Military Fellowship Program into a full-time role working at the Disneyland Resort on Veterans Day! His story is one of many examples of how the Heroes Work Here program changes lives with opportunities for veterans.
Juan enlisted into the U.S. Air Force when studying engineering at college. He wanted to gain life experience and put his engineering knowledge to the test. Juan shared, “I always had the military in the back of my mind. My two stepbrothers were in the Marines, and my sister was in the Air Force, so I always thought about joining, too.” His goal was to secure a role in the civilian workforce after gaining hands-on experience in the field.
Near the end of his military contract, Juan began to look for where he could go next. He looked at companies that actively hire military personnel through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program. This allows active-duty service members to gain civilian work experience during their last 180 days of service. Seeing The Walt Disney Company was one of the partner companies, Juan jumped at the opportunity. This felt like it could be a dream come true since he had always dreamed of working for Disney.
Juan ended up being selected to work at the Disneyland Resort as a part of the Military Fellowship Program. He reported to Ariel Elias, a supplier diversity manager. Throughout his fellowship, Juan was able to shadow leaders and assist with projects in various lines of business. His primary focus was learning from the Facilities and Operations Engineering Services team. He also learned from Ariel in his role in sourcing. “Ariel provided me projects that could help build up my resume. He listened to my interests and then helped me find opportunities to network in those areas.” Juan also says he received important lessons in “the Disney way” – learning how things work within the company, which differs from the military’s procedures.
Ariel, for his part, continues to be impressed by Juan’s passion for working at Disneyland Resort. “Juan was an exceptional mentee, demonstrating remarkable perseverance and a genuine eagerness to learn,” Ariel recalls. “Mentoring Juan was a rewarding experience, and it underscored the importance of providing guidance to our transitioning veterans.”
Along with providing professional guidance, Ariel invited Juean to join the SALUTE Business Employee Resort Group, or BERG, at Disneyland Resort. According to Disney, “SALUTE is a community of cast members who are veterans, friends, families and allies. The SALUTE BERG activates throughout the year, with a focus on cast members, community and culture.” Juan was surprised to find that there were many veteran and active-duty cast members working at the Disneyland Resort.
“Once I started shadowing around various departments, I noticed there were at least two or more other veterans working in the areas I visited.” Juan says this was comforting, as “no one fully understands the military mindset, or a veteran’s background, except for others who have been through the same experiences. Finding other veterans that understand what you’ve been through…that kind of support is important.”
All of this culminated with Juan officially becoming a full-time cast member on Veterans Day. This was after completing his four-month fellowship. He is thrilled to be living out his dream of working on beloved attraction at Disneyland Resort as an outside machinist.
Juan plans to continue as a member of SALUTE while in his new role so he can stay connected with other veterans around the resort. He was asked for advice for those looking to follow a similar career path. He said, “have persistence, network, and understand how you can best present yourself during the application process.”
For those looking for more information on the Heroes Work Here program and its benefits, visit the program’s homepage.
What do you think of the Heroes Work Here program? Let us know in the comments.
