WASHINGTON: The Manufacturing Institute announced three community colleges will receive support for training of veterans in manufacturing programs. The three colleges - Bossier Parish Community College, located in Bossier City, La.; Lorain County Community College, located in Elyria, Ohio; and Central Carolina Community College, located in Sanford, N.C. - were chosen from The Manufacturing Institute's M-List for manufacturing excellence. The funding was made possible by a grant from Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The grants will be used to engage veterans seeking training for employment in the manufacturing sector. Central Carolina Community College will utilize existing veteran services to recruit and identify promising veterans to enter into manufacturing pathways by offering scholarship funding; Lorain County Community College will pilot an accelerated Manufacturing Career Awareness and Readiness program customized for veterans; and Bossier Parish will work with college veterans' groups to recruit and provide training for veterans in Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics programs. Criteria for the recipients of the grant included the quality of services for veterans and the impact and scale of activities.
More than 80 percent of manufacturers report they cannot find people to fill their skilled production jobs. Meanwhile, thousands of service men and women return home each month, possessing not only an exemplary work ethic, but also rigorous technical training and experience. Manufacturers are in need of high-skilled, quality workers, and veterans hold the leadership skills, teamwork, and accelerated learning curve that assure them to be valuable employees.
"Supporting veterans in their efforts to reconnect to employment helps the manufacturing industry and the United States economy as a whole," Institute President Jennifer McNelly said.
"We're pleased to work with the Manufacturing Institute and support these institutions in their efforts to equip veterans with the training they need to embark on a successful civilian career in manufacturing," said Emily Simone, Lockheed Martin Corporation's Director of Community Relations." It's a win for our veterans, employers, and industry."
"Lorain County Community College has a long history of serving the needs of veterans. This grant will help us offer accelerated pathways to prepare veterans for in demand jobs with our regional manufacturing partners," said LCCC President Roy Church.
"Finances are a huge barrier for many people when returning to school. Our partnership with the Manufacturing Institute is a game changer for our veterans seeking advanced skill training for the manufacturing industry," said Wilson Lester, Central Carolina Community College Academic Advisor, Veterans Upward Bound Program. "Partnerships like this allow Central Carolina to change the landscape of educational opportunity for the veterans in our community."
"We are delighted that our commitment to military students is being recognized and supported through this grant from Lockheed Martin," said Bossier Parish Community College Chancellor Dr. Rick Bateman, Jr. "These resources will assist our on-going efforts to successfully reintegrate our Nation's heroes into civilian life, prepare them for high-wage high-demand employment, and ensure that they are competitive in the current job market."
About The Manufacturing Institute
The Manufacturing Institute (the Institute) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. As a non-partisan organization, the Institute is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers. The Institute is the authority on the attraction, qualification and development of world-class manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2014 were $45.6 billion.