Posted by Sharon Schendel
Co-presidents Suzy and Karl Wagner present WFW CFO Rachel Luis y Prado with a donation.
 
Linda Groom, Marty Peters and Janice Kurth learn about WFW welding projects
 
Machining Instructor Randall Uerkvitz
 
Machining students take a break from class for our tour
 
Fiber laser cutter donated by Amada America
 
WFW welding shop
 
 
Near the General Dynamics NASSCO and BAE Systems shipbuilding and repair sites is a place of transformation: Workshops for Warriors (WFW). Around 200 students annually undertake intensive 4-month training programs in machining or welding at the WFW campus. After earning portable and stackable credentials, WFW students pursue manufacturing careers in their chosen skill. Around 95% of WFW students receive job offers and graduates work at a range of major manufacturers like Ford, General Dynamics, Boeing and SpaceX.
 
On April 14, 2022, Rotary Club of Del Mar members toured the WFW campus. We were led by Rachel Luis y Prado, WFW CFO and Chief Academic Officer, who is married to the WFW founder and CEO, Hernán Luis y Prado, and also by WFW Director of Operations, Keisha Javis-Jones, who is a Marine Corps veteran.  
 
WFW began in Hernán’s garage in 2008 and the campus opened in 2011. A Navy veteran, Hernán realized the need for resources to help veterans transition from the military back into civilian life. The need is particularly urgent in San Diego County, which has one of the largest veteran populations in the United States. Of these veterans, around 10% are unemployed or live in poverty. 
 
Students learn about WFW through word-of-mouth or collaborating partners like Camp Pendleton. Active-duty personnel nearing their End of Active Service Date are eligible to enroll. Accessibility is a key goal of WFW. Students who qualify receive scholarships and living assistance and the accelerated training program means that students can begin earning robust salaries rapidly.
 
In 2022, WFW will surpass 1,000 graduates who will help fill an emerging gap in the manufacturing sector: skilled machinists and welders are retiring and the demand for skilled workers to fill these positions is high. WFW is undertaking a capital campaign that will substantially expand the campus and allow more students to enroll.
 
Rotary Club of Del Mar is proud to donate $4,600 to help more WFW students earn skills and credentials they need and to ensure that veterans transition from the military to high-paying, in-demand jobs.