Workshops for Warriors: Training Veterans for the Workforce with Hernán Luis y Prado

TL;DR

Workshops for Warriors prepares veterans for advanced manufacturing careers through accelerated training, nationally recognized credentials, and job placement. Its programs cover machining, welding, fabrication, 3D printing, and robotics, with almost a thousand graduates placed in jobs throughout America after training that can take just 16 weeks. Read on for details about its origins, employer demand, sponsors, results, and plans to scale.

Transcript

welcome to the salt sideline report i am liana hawkins and we are here at salt new york with hernan luis e prado the ceo and founder of workshops for warriors welcome thank you lianna thanks for having me and thank you for being at salts live this week we're so excited to have you on a really important discussion today about your company workshops ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🏫 Workshops for Warriors is the only nonprofit school in America offering advanced manufacturing training to veterans.
• ⌛ The organization has achieved impressive success in job placement, with 94% of graduates finding full-time employment.
• 🖐️ Sponsors like Ford Motor Company and Reliance Steel and Aluminum have played a significant role in supporting Workshops for Warriors.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does Workshops for Warriors do?

Workshops for Warriors provides veterans with accelerated advanced manufacturing training, nationally recognized credentials, and job placement. Its training covers machining, welding, fabrication, 3D printing, and robotics, with placements available throughout America.

Q: Why did Hernán Luis y Prado start Workshops for Warriors?

After returning from Iraq, the Navy veteran saw competent, capable, and honorable service members struggling to find jobs. The experience of one of his Marines losing both legs to a roadside bomb prompted him and his wife to sell their house, use their savings and retirement plans, and start the organization.

Q: How successful is Workshops for Warriors at placing graduates in jobs?

The organization reports that almost a thousand graduates have been placed in jobs throughout America. It also reports that 94% of its graduates enter full-time employment.

Q: How long does the Workshops for Warriors training take?

The accelerated training at the school takes just 16 weeks. After completing it, graduates are prepared for advanced manufacturing jobs in fields such as machining, welding, fabrication, 3D printing, and robotics.

Q: Which companies hire Workshops for Warriors graduates?

Graduates have obtained jobs at companies including Boeing, SpaceX, Ford, Tesla, and Reliance Steel and Aluminum. Luis y Prado says employers repeatedly ask how they can hire more graduates.

Q: Who sponsors Workshops for Warriors?

Sponsors named in the interview include Ford Motor Company, Reliance Steel and Aluminum, General Atomics, and General Dynamics. Their financial support and facilities have helped the organization deliver training and place graduates.

Q: Why does Workshops for Warriors want to expand its facilities?

The organization wants to increase its facility size and infrastructure because employers are asking for more graduates. Luis y Prado says this expansion would help rebuild America’s manufacturing workforce with veterans.

Q: How does Workshops for Warriors relate to President Biden’s Made in America plan?

Luis y Prado says the plan is a step in the right direction but does not resolve the lack of a nationally viable training pipeline. He presents Workshops for Warriors, which has operated since 2008 and has a documented placement record, as ready to scale nationally in support of the initiative.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Workshops for Warriors is the only nonprofit school in America that offers advanced manufacturing training and nationally recognized credentials to veterans.

• The organization has successfully placed almost a thousand graduates in full-time jobs at companies like Boeing, SpaceX, Ford, and Tesla.

• The support of sponsors like Ford Motor Company and Reliance Steel and Aluminum has been instrumental in the organization's success.