The Manufacturing Institute Announces Atlas Copco as Sponsor of Military Workforce Training Program

The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, has announced Atlas Copco as a silver sponsor of its Heroes MAKE America initiative. The investment will support the growth and expansion of the Heroes program. Heroes MAKE America is a Department of Defense-approved SkillBridge program dedicated to promoting manufacturing careers in the United States, building connections between the military and veteran communities and the manufacturing industry, and providing exposure to a reliable stream of skilled military talent.

Manufacturers highly value the core elements of military training that allow America’s service members to be the best in the world. The teamwork, commitment to mission, communication, and critical thinking skills essential to mission success are also essential to manufacturing success. Heroes MAKE America launched in January 2018 at Fort Riley in Kansas and has since expanded to Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and Fort Stewart in Georgia as well as a 100% virtual training program.

Since 2018, Heroes MAKE America has issued over 5,100 industry-recognized certifications and achieved a 90% placement rate among graduates in more than 350 companies in 47 states. The program has introduced more than 12 million individuals from the greater military community to information about manufacturing careers through in-person events, social media, VA newsletters, and industry-related events.

Serving over 180 countries, Atlas Copco develops industrial ideas that empower customers to grow and drive society forward. Every day, across the United States and around the world, products are manufactured, facilities are constructed, critical fasteners are secured, processes are pressurized and cleaned, and all types of gasses are compressed and turned into energy. This may seem like a collection of unrelated processes, but Atlas Copco unites them, working with customers from every industry to create a better tomorrow, by maximizing efficiency today. In 2023, Atlas Copco celebrated their 150th anniversary.

“Manufacturing has averaged over 800,000 job openings per month over the past year. Nearly 200,000 service members exit the military every year, and there are an additional 2.9 million under-employed veterans with the skills and experience that are uniquely aligned for manufacturing careers,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “Modern manufacturing careers are great opportunities for veterans to find their next calling and join a new mission. Thanks to today’s generous investment by Atlas Copco, the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America program can continue working towards closing the manufacturing skills gap by training our transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, National Guard, and Reservists with critical skills and placing them on a path toward a rewarding manufacturing career. We are incredibly grateful to Atlas Copco for making an impactful investment in such an important program.”

Sponsors of Heroes MAKE America include Atlas Copco, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Union Pacific, Howmet Aerospace, Saint-Gobain, WestRock, Cargill, Honeywell, Niagara Bottling LLC, SK Battery America, SEMI, Plastics Pipe Institute, FUCHS Lubricants Company, and NAFEM.