Participation in Joining Forces programme will see former military staff comprise three per cent of new hires over the next five years at Call of Duty studio

Activision joins US military veteran employment initiative

Activision Blizzard is bolstering its efforts to reduce unemployment among military veterans by signing on to the US government’s Joining Forces initiative.

The Call of Duty and Destiny creator also runs its own Call of Duty Endowment foundation, which aims to employ former members of the military in high-quality positions.

The Endowment began in 2009, pledging 25,000 veteran placements by 2018.

"Over the past year, organizations supported by the Endowment saw a 15 per cent increase in requests from veterans for support," detailed Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.

"Activision Blizzard and the Endowment have helped more than 22,000 vets get good jobs, but there is much more to be done."

Activision added that veterans employed earn an average starting salary of $50,000.

The firm has additionally promised to make three per cent of its new hires over the next five years military veterans or spouses. [EDIT: This originally said that the proportion would be 10 per cent.]

Activision is currently the only games company to be part of Joining Forces, which started in 2011. 50 further US technology firms were inducted into the programme this year, agreeing to collectively employ at least 100,000 veterans in the next five years.

"By supporting the Joining Forces initiative, we hope the combined efforts of the White House and companies like ours can solve the on-going problem of veteran unemployment," said Dan Goldenberg, executive director of the Call of Duty Endowment.

"If we accomplish this task, we will improve the lives of those who served and their families for generations to come."

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