Partnering for a Pipeline of Vets in Manufacturing

Veterans Day is a uniquely important holiday at Samsung. Like other South Korean companies that rose from the ashes of the Korean War, our relationship with the U.S. military is not just strong, it’s foundational.

Throughout our 40-year history in the U.S., we’ve expressed our gratitude for the tremendous sacrifices made by U.S. veterans and their families through partnerships with the American Legion, Fisher House, the Korean War Memorial Foundation and many others. And we’re ready to do more, especially when it comes to ensuring our veterans and military community are supported as they move into the next phase of their career.

Megan Pollock, VP of Strategic Communications, Samsung Electronics America. Photo credit: National Association of Manufacturers

That’s why last week, I represented Samsung at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas, to announce our latest endeavor in support of veterans: Samsung will be the Founding Sponsor of the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America initiative. This program is a full-time, nine-week career skills program that provides manufacturers with credentialed and qualified candidates who have strong workplace skills. That also means veterans separating from the military have a clearer path to employment using the skills they’ve learned in the service. This investment will support more than 4,000 program graduates across seven military bases by 2021, according to The Manufacturing Institute.

At Samsung, we know that veterans make highly valuable, capable employees with technical experience we desperately always need to fill the roles demanded by a burgeoning advanced manufacturing industry. Right now, innovation in the U.S. is growing faster than the pipeline of workers to bring it to scale.

As we look ahead to the world of AI, 5G, and connected technology, it’s no secret that technology companies everywhere are in desperate need of more technicians and skilled manufacturers to make our visions of tomorrow a reality. Many of our veterans have these skills, but private sector employers may not recognize their experience as a match for their needs. Connecting our transitioning service members – whose experience will help us bring these innovations to market – with employers through certification programs like this one is a win for all of us.

In addition to the program at Fort Hood, our donation as a founding sponsor of Heroes MAKE America will help the Manufacturing Institute bring the program to seven additional bases within the next three years. We also are excited to be able to leverage these graduates for our own manufacturing facilities in Austin, TX and Newberry, SC.

Participants of the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America program. Photo credit: National Association of Manufacturers

It’s thanks to American servicemembers that our company has not only been able to prosper, but to grow into what is now the sixth most valuable brand in the world, according to Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2018 Rankings. As a company, we never forget that.

Together with the Manufacturing Institute, we can continue to support veterans transitioning from the military and build a pipeline of talented workers for years to come.