On this Veterans Day, SC Future Makers is announcing a partnership with Veterans ASCEND, an online skills-matching platform that specializes in breaking employment barriers between veterans and individuals transitioning out of the military with employers. Through this partnership, SC Future Makers and Veterans ASCEND will build connections between the military community and the manufacturing industry in South Carolina to position individuals to succeed in an industry where their skills, talent, and training are highly valued.

"Workforce development is key to the future of manufacturing in South Carolina, and our military and veterans’ communities are a valuable resource to meet those needs. Thousands of veterans call South Carolina home and connecting them to the great careers manufacturing has to offer is a natural fit for strengthening our workforce pipeline. We're excited to partner with Veterans ASCEND, a South Carolina company, to connect veterans and employers is a win-win for both," said Sara Hazzard, President and CEO of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance.

“Both job seekers and employers wander through tons of irrelevant job listings, applications, resumes, and more on recruiting sites and job boards,” said Robyn Grable, Founder and CEO of Veterans ASCEND. “The United States military offers some of the most advanced and effective education and training in the world. Veterans ASCEND is especially designed to find perfect matches between the job skills and subject matter expertise of our veterans and the training and experience needed to fill high-paying jobs.”

South Carolina is home to more than 400,000 veterans, and between 3,000-4,000 service members transition out of the State’s military bases each year. Meanwhile, South Carolina manufacturers cite finding a world-class workforce as a key challenge, needing more and more skilled workers to fill jobs in advanced manufacturing.

South Carolina Secretary of Veterans Affairs William F. Grimsley praised the partnership.

“I am very excited about the partnership between SC Future Makers and Veterans ASCEND, and for the support of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance,” Grimsley said. “Connecting veterans and their families with prospective employers who need the valuable expertise and skills they possess is a tremendous boost for our veterans, our companies and our state.”

Charlie Hall, President of Upstate Warrior Solution, also praised the partnership.

“Upstate Warrior Solution is excited about the partnership between SC Future Makers and Veterans ASCEND as we understand the value of out of the box thinking and collaborative efforts in order to build a robust employment network for our veterans and their families,” Hall said. “Veterans ASCEND is a well-designed platform matching employer with veterans seeking a new career and is creating a more modern network that expedites the relationship building between employers and veterans.”

The Boeing Company has made a financial commitment to the partnership.

“Boeing is committed to helping South Carolina’s veterans and their families thrive. Finding meaningful employment is key to their successful transition to civilian life, and we are proud to partner with SCMA on these efforts,” said Lindsay Leonard, Senior Director, Boeing South Carolina.

For more information, www.scfuturemakers.com/military/.