Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) helped introduce legislation to expand opportunities for veterans to get long-term, good-paying manufacturing jobs by boosting training opportunities for those transitioning from military to civilian life. The Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act would invest $50 million in federal grants to create veteran-focused manufacturing pilot programs that will offer targeted training and apprenticeships from employers and labor-management organizations. 

“Our veterans and service members represent the best our country has to offer. It’s essential they can access good-paying, in-demand jobs when they transition back to civilian life,” said Kuster. “This legislation makes critical investments in skills-based training and apprenticeship programs to help grow our American-made manufacturing sectors and ensure our nation’s veterans are set up for success with rewarding careers at the end of their service. A win-win for our economy and our service members!” 

The U.S. manufacturing sector faces a pressing need for skilled workers, with approximately 790,000 unfilled American job openings each month and a projected 2 million vacancies in the next decade, primarily due to a skills gap in advanced manufacturing.

The Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act would bridge this gap by expanding access to skills training for U.S. veterans in manufacturing career pathways, ensuring veterans have the tools needed to translate their military skills to the civilian workforce, and encouraging manufacturers to recruit, hire, and train our nation’s returning heroes. 

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