Founded in 1988, the global asset management firm BlackRock set out to build a better way to invest—by putting clients first and helping more people benefit from investing so they can live better. Over time, that founding mission expanded into The BlackRock Foundation—the firm’s philanthropic arm. This year, it went one step further, announcing BlackRock Future Builders TM, a $100-million philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation, which aims to provide training and support to 50,000 American workers pursuing careers in the skilled trades over five years.
Through BlackRock Future Builders, the foundation has already awarded more than $13 million to 15 organizations in the first of two funding rounds, and two organizations focused on the veteran community were recently selected as part of the initiative’s first national cohort: Helmets to Hardhats and National Veterans Transition Services Inc. The grants are expected to help more than 5,400 people across 26 states prepare for careers in the skilled trades.
This Veterans Day, The BlackRock Foundation is highlighting two of those grantees:
Helmets to Hardhats received approximately $1 million to support three dedicated case managers connecting transitioning service members and veterans with registered apprenticeships and construction careers in 16 states.
National Veterans Transition Services Inc. received approximately million to launch Operation Future Builders in San Diego, helping participants translate military experience into trades-readiness profiles and connect with apprenticeships, training programs and employers.
The more than 200,000 service members who transition to civilian life each year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, don’t do so on their own. That support, whether it comes in the form of friends, family or organizations like BlackRock, is crucial to veteran wellbeing and a smooth transition. What is often seen to help with a smooth transition, as well, is pursuing a career in the skilled trades—both the hard and soft skills learned in the military are often readily transferable to something like construction. Currently, America’s construction industry is witnessing both an infrastructure boom—which is projected to create hundreds of thousands of new roles for electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and other skilled trades workers over the next decade—and a workforce crisis—which will only be exacerbated by the infrastructure boom. This gap lends a clear path to military veterans interested in pursuing a career in the skilled trades, as long as they have the right support to guide them down the path.
“From serving our country to building its future, veterans bring skills, leadership and experience that can strengthen America’s workforce,” says John Kelly, global head of corporate affairs at BlackRock. “As demand for skilled trades workers grows, we’re proud to support organizations helping veterans translate their experience into civilian careers and greater financial security for their families.”
SEE ALSO: TRUE GRIT: A HISTORY OF DELMARVA VETERAN BUILDERS
