As technology continues to evolve, the way we work – and play – continues to change. This means a new generation of service men and women who have grown up with tech skills, such as those learned playing video games, that can translate into post-military careers, according to Donal Cieutat, Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) coordinator, State of Alabama.

WorkingNation sat down with Cieutat at the NASWA Veterans Conference in Washington, D.C.

Cieutat compares this to his own experience and says we have to help transitioning service members communicate the value of those tech skills to civilian employers.

“Early on, when I started, computers were coming of age. Not everybody had computers. It has opened up a whole avenue for military people. My generation wasn’t the gamer generation, but the ones coming out [of the service] now are the gamer generation. And we’ve got to be able to learn to communicate on the same plane.”

During the conference, Cieutat was awarded the Mark Sanders award for his leadership in helping transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses find and maintain a career in the civilian workforce.

Learn more about the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG).