The Manufacturing Institute and Walmart Join Forces to Grow Military Employment in Manufacturing

Washington, D.C. – Today, The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers—announced a new program to support the transition of U.S. military personnel into civilian employment in the modern manufacturing industry, with Walmart providing a $785,000 grant for the MI-led project. The goal is to reduce significantly the translation challenges between military and civilian occupations and skills. The MI will coordinate with Solutions for Information Design and Jobs for the Future to deliver solutions to these challenges, which too often burden service members during their transition and complicate employers’ search for skilled workers among the nation’s veterans.

“With nearly 200,000 military personnel finishing their service each year, and the manufacturing industry looking to fill 4 million jobs by the end of the decade, the MI is excited to use the funding from Walmart to create solutions at the scale required to meet the current workforce crisis,” said MI President Carolyn Lee. “This partnership with SOLID and JFF will also enable service members to seek more targeted training options for in-demand skills and allow employers to streamline new hire training programs based on the abilities that veterans already possess. This will also expand the reach of the MI’s Heroes MAKE America program, which assists in the training and placement of transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses.”

The MI is already working with JFF on a project to publish several of the most important industry skill certifications in manufacturing through a digital credentialing platform. Additionally, SOLID, a trusted partner of the U.S. Department of Defense for credentialing, has been expanding the service branches’ highly successful Credentialing Opportunities Online program to further support transitioning service members through a program called MilGears. This project will combine those efforts and provide veterans and transitioning service members the tools to begin their next career in the manufacturing sector.

All of these efforts will further boost the effectiveness of the Heroes MAKE America program and helps them translate their military skills and experience to secure rewarding careers in the manufacturing and supply chain industry.

“Our military members gain highly sought-after skills during their service, and Walmart has long invested in programs that help veterans reintegrate into their local communities as well as programs that strengthen American jobs in the manufacturing sector,” said Sean Murphy, director, opportunity, Walmart.org. “MI’s work on credentialing and badging closely aligns with our current efforts to help build momentum for a national skills-based system, one that uses badging and credentialing to signal certain skills, and we’re proud to support this good work.”

The MI is committed to empowering today’s American heroes to become tomorrow’s manufacturing leaders and translate their military skills and experience to secure rewarding careers in the manufacturing and supply chain industry. This announcement with Walmart is an important next step in that endeavor.

– About The Manufacturing Institute –

The MI grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all workers in America, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and the advancement of their career in manufacturing. As the workforce development and education partner of the NAM, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. For more information on the MI, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social and environmental issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 24 countries, employs 2.3 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, address hunger, build inclusive economic opportunity for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit Walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg.