Heroes MAKE America Empowers Military-to-Manufacturing

The Manufacturing Institute is on a mission to get more veterans into stable, lucrative careers that literally build our country. Through manufacturing training programs, powerful networking, and accessible education, this nonprofit provides a direct avenue to in-demand certifications and helps connect heroes with a strong support system.

Each year, about 200,000 service members transition out of the U.S. armed forces and into civilian professional spheres. A variety of programs are available to assist veterans in building new careers in farming, coding, and even beekeeping. The Heroes MAKE America program helps transitioning and fully separated veterans ease from military to manufacturing not only by providing training and connections, but also by revealing to them the transferable skills already honed by their military service. In their feedback, participating veterans are pleasantly surprised to learn that they already possess a running start on their vocational change. They are also impressed by the range of tracks and level of challenge involved in these sought-after manufacturing careers, which are brought to life by factory tours led by experts, some of whom are veterans themselves.

An important strength of the program is its job placement rate of 90%. Notable employers of graduates include Samsung, Dow, Stanley Black & Decker, Fender, Howmet Aerospace, Nestlé, and Smithfield.

While training can be done remotely using virtual reality, there are also four in-person training sites, located in Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, and Texas. Certification programs generally take 8-12 weeks and provide certificates for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and forklift operation. Trainees can also earn the Mechatronics Technical Certificate or become a Certified Production Technician.

In addition to honorably discharged veterans and transitioning service members, reservists and spouses of active duty service members may also qualify for participation.

For more information on Heroes MAKE America, visit their website to attend a free virtual event or fill out a contact form.