The program, which began in August, combines classroom learning with hands-on laboratory experience, according to a ManpowerGroup release. Veterans are trained in Rockwell Automation’s facility in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, for in-demand jobs in advanced manufacturing.
“Manufacturing employers in the U.S. are experiencing a significant gap between the skills they need and the skills people have,” said Becky Frankiewicz, president of ManpowerGroup North America. “Our solution was to look for people with adjacent skills — skills that are closely connected and can be adapted easily, developed and applied to new roles.”
Thanking the veterans who recently completed the program, Rockwell CEO Blake Moret also thanked them for their service in honor of Veterans’ Day.
“We’ve seen their unique combination of core work and tech-savvy skills evolve to successfully position them for careers in the industry,” Moret said. “We’re confident this program will help solve a challenge critical to the growth of advanced manufacturing.”
All of the graduates are in the process of being placed into new jobs with some receiving multiple job offers that significantly increase — some graduates even doubling — their previous salaries.
Military veterans often work in technology-intensive roles and with on-the-job training these adjacent skills can be transferred to roles in advanced manufacturing, according to a news release.
“This program felt like it was made just for me,” said Travis Tolbert, a U.S. Navy veteran and academy graduate. “It focused on controls and automation, which is something I’ve always wanted to do, but was never able to do until now. The academy helped me take my military skills and understand how I could make them relevant for jobs outside of the Navy.”
