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Program Helps Veterans Build Post-Service Careers And Return To Civilian Life
Helmets to Hardhats provides work training for military veterans in careers throughout the construction industry.
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Helmets to Hardhats
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Adjusting to civilian life for veterans can be hard, but at Helmets to Hardhats, the goal is to make the transition easier, one step at a time.
Helmets to Hardhats is a nationwide program that connects veterans to paid apprenticeships in various trades within the construction industry. Some of those careers include carpentry, electrical work, iron work and more.
Quincy Lunford, the program's regional manager in the Southwest and a veteran himself, said construction is particularly a good fit.
"It’s a situation where a veteran is coming into an environment where it's more familiar to them and in other places,” he said.
Familiarity can help, as veterans encounter plenty of challenges upon trying to re-enter civilian life. Many veterans experience homelessness or are dealing substance abuse. Then, there's the mental aspect of things.
"You have a veteran that has mental health issues. On top of that, they're not able to provide a good quality of life for the family. It just compounds the issue," Lunford said. "Hopefully we're the answer to that problem."
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How the program works
Interested veterans can register online to start looking at available trades. A staff member will reach out and connect them with 15 international construction trade unions that help them find career and training opportunities. Veterans will also take part in paid apprenticeships while getting educated on how to use their G.I. Bill benefits to supplement their incomes.
The transition rate has been pretty successful, Lunford says. Since opening in 2003, H2H has transitioned over several thousand veterans.
Lunford says that as a veteran himself, being able to find a program that helps other veterans this way can be life-changing.
"It means the ability to take care of themselves and or their families. To purchase a house in this day and age is pretty difficult," he said.
You can learn more about the available careers and how to register online here
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