Workshops for Warriors awarded $10,000 grant for manufacturing training center

San Diego-based Workshops for Warriors (WFW), a nonprofit school providing veterans, wounded warriors, and transitioning service members free training and nationally recognized industry credentials in the advanced manufacturing industry, has received a $10,000 economic mobility grant from Bank of America to be used toward training program costs.

“With around 550 veterans seeking enrollment each semester, 2 million jobs in the advanced manufacturing industry that need to be filled, and only enough funding to fund approximately 120 graduates per year at Workshops for Warriors, there is a tremendous need to grow our programs,” said Hernán Luis y Prado, founder and CEO of WFW. “Grants like the one Bank of America awarded us bring us one step closer to growing our impact.”

Founded in 2008, WFW offers classes in advanced CNC manufacturing, CAD/CAM programming, advanced welding/fabrication, machinery repair, CNC laser and waterjet, and most recently Starrett and Snap-On Tools and 3-D printing. The nonprofit training center currently receives no federal, state, or local funding and relies on the generosity of corporate and private donations. Training is completely free to the veterans, wounded warriors, and transitioning service members attending, and 83 percent of all donations goes straight to training programs.