Veterans program targets skilled trades shortage
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Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders tours UHP's skilled trades training facility with CEO Matt Hesse, center. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios
A veteran-focused organization graduated its first group from a new skilled trades school in Gentry last week, launching an effort aimed at addressing a national shortage of trades workers.
Why it matters: The program builds on Unlock Human Potential's mission to help veterans transition from hyper-structured military life to the comparative disorder of civilian life, giving them a softer landing in the workforce.
Driving the news: The inaugural skilled-trades cohort of nine veterans was part of UHP's largest graduation since its founding five years ago: 124 graduates.
- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) and Walmart facility services leader RJ Zanes spoke at the ceremony on Thursday.
The big picture: The U.S. needs more skilled tradespeople — an estimated 2.1 million trades jobs could go unfilled by 2030, per the U.S. Department of Education.
- Demand is rising in part from the need for workers who can build, power and maintain the infrastructure behind the digital economy.
- Google, Meta, BlackRock and others are spending millions on training programs, apprenticeships and workforce partnerships to fuel the data-center boom.
Context: Before launching the skilled trades program, Unlock Human Potential primarily provided mentoring, personal-development coaching and workforce-readiness support.
- The skilled trades program marks its move into training for specific jobs. For the pilot period, training and curriculum costs are covered through UHP and its partnerships with Walmart and Salute, according to UHP.
State of play: UHP's new program started with electrical training. Welding is planned for September, and HVAC, plumbing, advanced manufacturing and carpentry are expected to follow next year, UHP founder and CEO Matt Hesse told Axios.
- The program lasts five weeks before students move into employers' finishing schools such as Walmart and Salute, a data center services and operations firm, he said.
Zoom in: Philip Andoh, one of the first skilled-trades graduates, left the Army on May 30 after serving six years. He was already considering electrical training through a community college when he found UHP.
- The transition is "very tough emotionally" and "very tough socially," he said.
- He interviewed with Walmart, but does not yet have a job offer, he said.
What they're saying: Sanders framed UHP as both a veterans transition program and a workforce development play for Arkansas.
- The program brings veterans from across the country to Arkansas and connects them with employers here, she told Axios.
What we're watching: Whether Arkansas will provide UHP with any incentives or tax breaks that might help it expand.
- The state is looking at "a lot of different options for partnership" with UHP, Sanders said.