Are you looking for skilled help? Consider hiring a veteran!

GE's new collaborative program, Get Skills to Work, joins major manufacturers and educators to prepare and place veterans in long-term careers. With an estimated 600,000 open advanced manufacturing jobs across America, this program is committed to closing the gap and creating new futures for those who worked to make ours better.

GE joined with business, digital, academic and not-for-profit partners to form a new coalition that aims to train military veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing, bolster the talent pipeline and enhance American competitiveness. The Gary Sinise Foundation is a partner and big supporter of this innovative program.

There are resources for employers looking to hire vets and opportunities for veterans looking to get into the manufacturing marketplace.

The Get Skills to Work coalition focuses on: accelerating skills training for U.S. veterans; helping veterans and employers translate military skills to advanced manufacturing jobs; and empowering employers with tools to recruit, onboard and mentor veterans.

Get Skills to Work is managed by the Manufacturing Institute and supported through financial and in-kind commitments from GE, Alcoa Inc., Boeing and Lockheed Martin. These initial investments will help 15,000 veterans translate military experience to corresponding advanced manufacturing opportunities and gain the technical skills needed to qualify for careers in this growing sector.

The coalition is seeking additional partners to meet its goal of reaching 100,000 veterans by 2015. Companies and veterans interested in joining this effort or learning more can visit http://www.getskillstowork.org/.

And in Ohio, Cincinnati State has collaborated with Get Skills to Work and major manufacturers to prepare and place veterans in long-term careers through their Pilot Program. Click the link for more information.