Getting Military Veterans Manufacturing Jobs

Workshops for Warriors Visit

Every day, younger workers find the manufacturing industry. Organization Workshops for Warriors (WFW) is also guiding deserving veterans to fill these crucial jobs.

In June of 2016, Shop Floor Automations got to attend an amazing open house. WFW prides itself on assisting soldiers who come home – especially those wounded, with physical limitations or with PTSD.

Check out a student testimonial from Workshops for Warriors 

The event drew a sizable crowd who met in the main office. Hernán Luis y Prado, the founder of the program, was all smiles upon meeting everyone for a facility tour.

“It’s great to love our veterans,” Hernán said during the tour. “But love alone doesn’t get our vets these jobs.”

Hernán definitely means business when it comes to helping out his fellow veterans. Having served in the Navy, he saw firsthand that transitioning from serving in the military to civilian life was a struggle.

The current WFW center has a large workstation of computers, $6 Million worth of equipment donations (from Haas and Reliance Steel & Aluminum), and various other equipment. Hernan says WFW is truly “the school that America built,” as Hernán puts it. Read more below!

The foundation started in 2008 and started courses in 2011. This year, in 2016, they administered their 1000th certification.

Hernán, proud of everyone in the program, happily said during the tour that Lyle Palm, their Dean of Welding, was recently honored. The American Welding Society gave him their Excellence in Welding Award.

Student Ryan was continually working with a laser machine during our tour. We learned he is in advanced courses and is a combat veteran with 14 nationally recognized certifications WFW helped him obtain.

He was already offered a great job in Michigan that starts later this year. We have more photos from the event we attended, and the facilities, here on Facebook.

WFW, after an application process of 8 years (they are currently in year 6 of the wait), will be GI Bill eligible program. This means while the program is already free to veterans, using the GI Bill will make things easier for these veterans.

The big goal is to build more facilities so that they can offer classes to 450 students per year instead of about 100 the school currently allows. While supplies are appreciated, funds are preffered.

Financial donations will help them to be able to gain more instructors and necessary extra space. WFW currently receives no federal, state, or municipal funding.

If you would like to donate to Workshops for Warriors, please contact Amy at amy@workshopsforwarriors.org or call 619-550-1620 for more information. We also invite you to follow them on Twitter at @WorkForWarriors.

Still running on floppy drives, or want an easier way to track data from your machines? Call us toll-free at 877-611-5825.