NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Transition to Trades, an approved Career Skills Program (CSP) developed by Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical and U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Campbell, celebrated its 2nd Anniversary with aN open house, luncheon, and graduation ceremony featuring keynote speaker U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn on June 22.
Transition to Trades, launched on July 5, 2016, allows separating soldiers the opportunity to attend Total Tech trade school (a subsidiary of Hiller, LLC) to learn valuable technical career skills while remaining active duty in the U.S. Army.
To celebrate the program’s achievements, Hiller, Transition to Trades, and Total Tech School hosted an open house and fully catered luncheon, complete with facility tours, employer networking opportunities, professional head shots, giveaways, and a silent auction (with proceeds going to Total Tech scholarships). Following the festivities was a graduation ceremony honoring the latest cohort of over 100 program graduates, featuring keynote speaker U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn.
“Transition to Trades is life-changing,” Blackburn said during the graduation ceremony. “This program offers not only meaningful employment for the veteran, but stability to the families – who we know have also served. You transitioning service-members have taken advantage of an incredible opportunity. An opportunity to expand your knowledge and learn critical skills that our communities rely upon.”
Since its inception, Transition to Trades has proudly graduated 322 members from the HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing trades. Of those graduates, 265 soldiers are now employed full-time in the industry, with 91 working full-time at Hiller, and 30 have reenlisted or gone back to further their education. The program has received United States Congressional Recognition and recognition from Tennessee’s Governor Haslam for its dedication to providing stable careers for veterans.
“It gives me great satisfaction when I think about the part we have played in assisting these great men and women to enter the trades that have been so good to me,” said Jimmy Hiller, founder and CEO of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, and owner of Total Tech School. “The plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical trades are expected to increase by 21 percent over the next four years. At the same time, 22 percent of the existing workforce will retire, so we have jobs. Who else is better to fill this gap than the hard working, dedicated soldiers of the United States of America?”
Transition to Trades is an approved program developed by Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical and the U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Campbell, to train transitioning active duty military service members for new civilian careers as plumbers, electricians, and HVAC service technicians. For more information about the program, visit http://www.transitiontotrades.com or e-mail daphne.frontz@happyhiller.com.