We Are BuildEm
More than a platform — a mission-driven organization committed to connecting Veterans and skilled workers to meaningful careers in the trades.
About Us
At BuildEm, we are more than a business. We are a Veteran-founded platform built on a simple belief: the men and women who served our country deserve access to meaningful careers and employers deserve access to the talent Veterans bring.
Military service develops leadership, accountability, adaptability, and the ability to perform under pressure. These qualities are invaluable in the skilled trades and many other industries. Our mission is to help Veterans translate those strengths into rewarding careers while helping employers build stronger teams.
My Story
James Faust
Founder & Chairman
Like many Americans, I felt called to serve after September 11th. I joined the Army, completed my training, and eventually deployed to Afghanistan.
When I returned home, I expected the hardest part of my journey was behind me. Instead, I faced a challenge familiar to many Veterans: finding a place in the civilian workforce.
I had leadership experience. I had worked in demanding environments. I had learned to solve problems, adapt quickly, and take responsibility for results. Yet many employers saw my military service as unrelated experience or a gap in my career.
As the months passed, I began to wonder whether my service had put me behind my peers.
Then someone gave me a chance.
Sam Ponticelli saw beyond my resume. He recognized that military service had prepared me to learn, adapt, and succeed. He hired me despite my lack of direct industry experience and invested in my potential.
That opportunity changed my life. It launched a career I never imagined possible and created opportunities for my family that continue to this day.
"The difference was not talent. The difference was that someone was willing to see it."
Your Story
For many Veterans, the transition home follows a familiar path.
You leave the military with valuable skills, proven experience, and a strong work ethic. Yet you may find yourself struggling to explain how those experiences apply to civilian careers. Employers ask for industry experience while overlooking years of leadership, accountability, and real-world problem solving.
Too often, Veterans are underestimated.
We believe that needs to change.
Veterans have led teams, managed equipment worth millions of dollars, operated in high-pressure environments, and accomplished missions where failure was not an option. Those experiences matter. Employers who recognize that gain committed, adaptable, and highly capable team members.
SPC Faust, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 2011
Your Next Chapter
BuildEm was created to help Veterans find that one opportunity that can change everything.
We introduce Veterans to career paths in the skilled trades and related industries. We connect them with employers who recognize their potential. We help them discover careers that provide stability, growth, purpose, and a future for their families.
Most importantly, we help Veterans find employers who value what they already bring to the table.
The next chapter of your story is waiting. Are you ready to build it?
Built for Employers, Employment, and Empowerment
Three pillars. One mission. Connecting skilled workers to the careers they've earned.
Find the Right People
Find qualified, motivated workers who will increase your productivity and keep your projects on track. Veterans bring discipline, teamwork, and adaptability that gives your company a competitive edge.
