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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 11, 2011 |
For more information please contact: Jack Healy MassMEP Tel: 508-831-7020 |
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Actor John Ratzenberger presents MassMEP training class with graduation certificates SPRINGFIELD, MA - On a day when the nation turns to honor veterans for their service to the country, eight formerly unemployed veterans proudly graduated from an innovative job training program offered by Massachusetts Extension Partnership Program (MassMEP). The eight veterans were part of a class of 10 trainees participating in the MassMEP’s M.O.S.T.® program. All 10 graduates were all immediately offered jobs by Smith & Wesson Corp. Actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his portrayal of Cliff Clavin on Cheers and as host of John Ratzenberger’s Made in America, attended the graduation and presented the graduation certificates. Ratzenberger has become a leading champion of American manufacturing. “As a country, we honor members of the Armed Forces for their service. But when their service ends and they return to civilian life, too many veterans find themselves out of work, unable to translate their military skills into civilian employment. This partnership between Smith & Wesson and MassMEP to train veterans for front-line manufacturing jobs is a model for how we can help veterans overcome that skills gap,” Ratzenberger stated. Today’s graduation marked the third training class for military veterans that MassMEP has conducted with Smith & Wesson in the last seven months. The legendary 159-year old company has made it a priority to hire unemployed veterans to meet its workforce needs. “Smith & Wesson’s partnership with MassMEP has provided strong benefits to our company and to the veterans we hire,” said Bill Lachenmeyer, Vice President of Human Resources for Smith & Wesson. “MassMEP’s customized training program rapidly gets trainees up to speed so that they can walk from the classroom onto the shop floor and immediately become productive team members. In addition, the candidate screening that MassMEP performs saves us valuable time and resources, while ensuring we receive qualified job applicants.” MassMEP’s Mobile Outreach Skills Training (M.O.S.T.®) program is a rapid response skills training and placement program that is tailored to specific employment opportunities. The program begins by working with manufacturers to identify employment needs. A customized curriculum is then developed based on the employer’s skills requirements. As a condition for utilizing the training program, the employer agrees to extend an offer of employment to all successful graduates. After a screening and selection process, candidates enter an intensive two-week targeted skills training program aboard a high-tech mobile classroom brought to the employer’s place of business. The mobile unit was located at Smith & Wesson’s Springfield facility. Upon completing the training class, trainees immediately begin their new full-time jobs. Over the next six months, the M.O.S.T.® program team will provide on-the-job training and mentoring to develop the trainees’ skills proficiency and support a high job retention rate, which is critical to employers. “Returning veterans have a significantly higher unemployment rate than the civilian population,” said Jack Healy, Center Director for MassMEP. “The M.O.S.T.® program is designed to help vets and other unemployed workers acquire the skills training they need to embark on careers in advanced manufacturing.” The M.O.S.T.® program has proved to be a success in states where it has been implemented, with a training completion rate of 97 percent, a job placement rate of 95 percent, and a job retention rate after six months of 91 percent. These results far exceed the placement and retention rates of traditional job training programs at only a fraction of the cost per job. Earlier this year, MassMEP’s M.O.S.T.® program received the Associated Industries of Massachusetts’ John Gould Education & Workforce Development Award for 2011. The M.O.S.T.® training for Smith & Wesson was funded in part by a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. About MassMEP The Mass MEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The national MEP system is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2,000 manufacturing and business “coaches” whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits and enhanced global competitiveness. For more information, visit the Mass MEP Web site or phone 1-800-MEP-4MFG. About Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection, and sport. The company delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement, and sports markets, and designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications. Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Smith & Wesson Security Solutions, Inc., a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer, and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com. |
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