The Unity Foundation supports innovative nonprofits whose programs simultaneously build the economy and support Maine people in need. Through the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership, we provided scholarships for veterans to pursue manufacturing skills training through the Mobile Outreach Skills Training program – or MOST. MOST delivers customized training to individuals in a mobile unit by way of a host manufacturing company seeking specifically trained employees. Unity’s scholarship funds helped people like Charles,* a former fire and security professional and partially disabled veteran who was laid off. After the MOST training, Charles secured a position with Orion Rope in Central Maine, has been on the job since 2011 and has received several raises.
*To protect confidentiality we have not used his real name