We Connect Veterans to Careers in Precision Manufacturing

Early this January, veterans from various military eras and backgrounds toured FM Industries for a strategic hiring event, hoping that they might find their next mission, a career with the highly competitive industry of high-tech, precision manufacturing. Swords to Plowshares was honored to recruit and host this session for unemployed and underemployed Bay Area veterans.

The morning began with hiring managers from FM Industries introducing themselves to our veteran candidates. The two hiring managers, both veterans themselves, shared stories about their journey from the military to working in advanced manufacturing. One of the hiring managers, a Marine Corps veteran, explained to the candidates why FM industries is a good fit for veterans. “Our company relates to the military because it is a mission oriented, high paced company. [This is] A great place for transitioning veterans that enjoy a teamwork environment.”

Both hiring managers went on to further explain how the products the company produces fit into the overall technologies market. Upon hearing the hiring managers pitch, many of the applicants began to express their excitement towards this potential career. This excitement was only further amplified once the group of veterans went on a guided tour of the factory. During the tour, the hiring managers demonstrated the machinery, explaining different operations and processes, and answered any questions the veteran candidates had. At the end of the tour, veterans could observe a roomful of employees in white coats, diligently working on quality assurance of recently manufactured products. The hiring manager then explained to our veterans, “most people think of manufacturing and they don’t think ‘high-tech,’ but that just isn’t true!”

Once the tour ended, the hiring managers began their interviews on the spot and held thirty-minute interviews with each candidate. After his interview concluded, one veteran participant expressed how impressed he was by the whole experience. “This really exceeded my expectations,” he shared. “I came to this event curious and looking at a couple different positions.” However, he was not sure if the hiring event would be worth his time. “It was so cool to get to look through the factory and hear how the company operates.”

Another participant, a US Army veteran who was referred to our Employment and Training team after finding permanent housing with Swords, detailed how he now wanted to seek meaningful employment after finishing the event. “I want a career that allows me to be engaged. This company is so up and coming. They would be really interesting to work for.”

To know more about employment opportunities for veterans, or if you are an employer interested in learning about how you can support and hire veterans, email us at employment@stp-sf.org!