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How Manufacturers Benefit from Military Talent

By NAM NewsroomNovember 10, 2026

This Veterans Day, many veterans will be on factory floors and in company headquarters around the country, lending their expertise and leadership to manufacturing. The Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE America initiative is working to help many more veterans join the industry in the coming years, through programs that connect transitioning servicemembers and veterans with rewarding new careers in manufacturing.

The big picture: Workers with military experience are a valuable pool of talent for an industry seeking more skilled workers, given their technical skills and experience working in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.

  • Since 2018, Heroes MAKE America has helped manufacturers find, understand and connect with military talent across the country.

The event: Earlier this fall, HMA hosted a Military to Manufacturing Career Fair at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, showcasing how manufacturers are investing in and benefiting from military talent.

  • Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee moderated a panel with GE Aerospace Chief Talent Officer Mike Benson and three GE Aerospace employees who are also military veterans, who spoke about how military skills translate to careers in aerospace and manufacturing.
  • North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette and Sergeant Major Gregory Seymour also joined the event.

The fair: After the employer spotlight event, manufacturers connected directly with military talent at the larger career fair.

  • Attendees could use Manufacturing Readiness Badges, digital credentials that translate military training and experience into manufacturing competencies, to help the civilian employers recognize and understand their skill sets.

GE Aerospace: In October 2025, the GE Aerospace Foundation awarded $500,000 to support HMA, including the launch of its Airframe and Powerplant Prep Course near Fort Bragg to help transitioning servicemembers and veterans prepare for Federal Aviation Administration certification and careers in aviation maintenance.

  • The first cohort graduated in May 2026, with all six graduates passing their exams and securing employment. All 12 participants in the second cohort completed the program in August, and a third cohort of 12 began training in September.

The MI says: “That is what happens when manufacturers help create a direct connection between military talent and the skills they need,” Lee said in her remarks. “We are grateful to GE Aerospace Foundation for investing in this work and for recognizing the value that transitioning servicemembers and veterans bring to manufacturing.”

Get involved: Learn more about HMA and recruiting military talent here.