Manufacturing Institute forms coalition to train U.S. veterans for advanced manufacturing jobs

The Manufacturing Institute, New York, has launched a coalition with GE, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Alcoa, and other business, digital, academic, and not-for-profit partners that aims to train military veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing.

The Get Skills to Work coalition focuses on accelerating skills training for U.S. veterans; helping veterans and employers translate military skills to in-demand advanced manufacturing positions; and empowering employers with tools to recruit and mentor veterans.

The Manufacturing Institute will manage several elements of the program, with financial and in-kind support from GE, Alcoa, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. These initial investments will help 15,000 veterans translate military experience to corresponding advanced manufacturing opportunities and gain the technical skills needed to qualify for careers in this growing sector.

Working with Futures Inc., a technology company in Raleigh, N.C., the Institute has created a digital badge system to help translate applicable Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes, the U.S. military's system for identifying jobs, to civilian positions in advanced manufacturing. Skills matching and badge distribution will be supported by www.usmanufacturingpipeline.com, a centralized online hub that connects manufacturing employers with veterans and National Guard and Army Reserve members.

To help prepare individuals whose military service experience doesn’t immediately qualify them for available manufacturing jobs, the Institute and other partners will work with local community and technical colleges to establish the Institute's Right Skills Now for Manufacturing program, which fast-tracks attainment of industry-recognized certifications and offers training in core technical skill areas. This program was initially launched in Minnesota with support from the Joyce Foundation.

The coalition is seeking additional partners to meet its goal of reaching 100,000 veterans by 2015. Companies and veterans interested in joining this effort or learning more can visit www.getskillstowork.org.