Bug-O Systems Donates Equipment to Workshops for Warriors

In December 2014 Bug-O Systems (Canonsburg, PA) learned of an organization that is truly transforming returning VETs lives through education. Workshops for Warriors (WFW; San Diego CA) is a non-profit organization that currently trains, certifies and places veterans into manufacturing careers at no cost to the veteran.

With no federal, state, or municipal funding, Workshops for Warriors offers 16-week courses that lead to internationally recognized credentials in Welding, Machining and Fabrication. Their eight classes are completely filled with 54 veterans gaining skills and valuable credentials through the American Welding Society (AWS), the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS), SolidWorks and MasterCam.

They have nearly 500 veterans on the waiting list for their programs and nearly 1,500 jobs are available for them once they graduate. Workshop for Warriors placement rate is at 100 percent. They are performing so well that they are at the choke point and need funding to enlarge their facility and hire additional instructors. Bug-O Systems wanted to be a part of this great organization so the company donated a new GO-FER III complete for cutting and welding so that their students can now learn about basic mechanization as well.

“It only made sense that our union-made products for over 65 years here in America should be a part of the fine work the people at WFW are doing for our returning veterans,” said Norm Sted, the company’s director of North American sales.In 2013, Workshops for Warriors received accreditation through NIMS – obtaining that certification in the shortest amount of time in their history. They are now the only non-profit in the United States that is officially accredited as a training center and solely dedicated to training, certifying and placing veterans.

bug-o.com, www.workshopsforwarriors.org