Transition to Trades, an approved Career Skills Program (CSP) developed by Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical and U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Campbell, is celebrating its 2nd Anniversary with an open house, luncheon, and graduation ceremony featuring keynote speaker U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn on June 22, 2018.
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.
Total Tech offers a unique approach to technician training through classroom and hands-on laboratory instruction in a 15,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility.
As part of the program, students are guaranteed an employment interview at a Hiller branch location of their choosing. Soldiers desiring to return to their hometowns are provided key industry contact information to aid in employment searches in those respective areas. Through its partnerships with PRAXIS S-10 and PriceFixer.com, a national success college and network for contractors, Transition to Trades has expanded to include national placement opportunities with over 150 contractors across the United States.
Since its inception, Transition to Trades has proudly graduated 295 members from the HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing trades. Of those graduates, 224 soldiers are now employed full-time in the industry, while 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.
To celebrate these achievements, on Friday, June 22, Hiller and Transition to Trades are hosting an open house and fully-catered luncheon, complete with tours, employer networking opportunities, professional headshots, giveaways, radio entertainment, and a silent auction (with proceeds going to Total Tech scholarships) from 12pm – 3pm. At 4pm, a graduation ceremony honoring the latest cohort of over 100 program graduates, will begin. The ceremony, featuring keynote speaker U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn, will highlight program achievements and allow key participants the opportunity to discuss what Transition to Trades has meant to their lives. Both events will take place at Hiller and Total Tech’s primary location, 915 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217.
The program is expecting over 500 attendees, with partner contractors, over 20 additional U.S. Army CSPs, members of the press, government officials, and job search organizations for veterans and soldiers. Any interested parties may RSVP at transitiontotrades.com at no cost. Active duty soldiers may reserve complimentary transportation on a first-come-first-served basis through Fort Campbell with Alicia Edwards at Alicia.r.edwards5.ctr@mail.mil.
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.
