At a formal ceremony to kick off the partnership between Eyemart Express and the Army PaYS program, Eyemart Express CEO Michael Bender (l) accepts a commemorative plaque from Major Michael Whitted of the U.S. Army. 
DALLAS—National optical retailer Eyemart Express has established a new collaboration with the U.S. Army’s Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program to help employ veterans, according to a recent announcement. Approximately 4.4 percent of veterans find themselves unemployed, according to the most recent jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor. In an effort to reduce this unemployment issue, optical retailer Eyemart Express will team up with the Army’s PaYS program as a way to help to address this unemployment among veterans.

The program guarantees soldiers a job interview for potential employment at the optical retailer’s 231 stores across the country. “The job market is very competitive, and this partnership is an excellent opportunity to help qualified people grow a career in the optical industry,” Michael Bender, Eyemart Express’ chief executive officer, said in the announcement.

“The core values of the U.S. Army are aligned with our corporate values to put people first and serve others. We recognize the discipline, leadership, dedication, and technical skillsets that military members gain during their service, and we look forward to bringing more of those skills to our team.”

Eyemart Express offers a variety of training and development programs to cultivate career paths in the optical industry along with a competitive benefits package for all associates. The optical retailer hosted a formal ceremony with the U.S. Army’s Partnership for Youth Success in Dallas to celebrate the long-term partnership.