Project to train military veterans for employment

By Karl Henkel

khenkel@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Cleveland-based Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network announced the creation of a pilot project designed to match U.S. veterans with training to help them land manufacturing jobs.

“We hear from numerous companies that they can’t find skilled employees for certain positions,” said Greg Krizman, MAGNET senior director of marketing. “This program is designed to put about 100 veterans back to work in the next 12 to 15 months.”

Veterans will be trained for positions such as machinists, inspection and quality technicians and equipment-maintenance personnel.

“The reason some of these jobs are unfilled is because they just can’t find people with those skills in the general work population,” Krizman said Thursday.

MAGNET will work with the Veterans’ Services group of the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services. Together, the partnership received a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.

To help draw interest for the program, MAGNET and JFS will host two seminars for Northeast Ohio manufacturers. Krizman said 16 companies already have expressed interest.

Local legislative officials applauded the move, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Avon.

“Today, the unemployment rate for young veterans is 27 percent — which is simply unacceptable,” Brown said. “I applaud MAGNET for launching this initiative, which will not only benefit our state’s veterans, but also Ohio’s economy at the same time.”