Maroney’s 'Military To Machinist' Program Passes Senate

From the Office of Sen. James Maroney: Today, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) led debate on legislation which will help veterans receive quality job training and find good manufacturing jobs. The bill, which will establish to the Military to Machinist Program, passed the state Senate by unanimous, bipartisan vote and will move to the state House of Representatives for further action. Sen. Maroney said this legislation is a win-win for Connecticut’s veterans and the state’s manufacturing industry.

“This legislation will improve the lives of so many veterans in our state who fought for their country, came home and struggled to find work,” said Sen. Maroney. “The Military to Machinist Program will ensure that our state’s veterans have access to funding for job training in the manufacturing field and are best positioned to flourish in manufacturing careers. In addition to getting our state’s veterans high quality jobs, we are also providing our manufacturing industry with a pool of intelligent, qualified and loyal workers.”

Under Senate Bill 968, the Military to Machinist Program will accomplish the following:

• Assist veterans in earning an advanced manufacturing certificate from a qualifying certificate program of an institution of higher education.
• Certificate holders will also be aided in finding employment with any eligible business* in the advanced manufacturing field.
• A designated liaison from The Workplace will assist veterans in obtaining funding for their education.
• The liaisons will also be tasked with helping eligible businesses apply to The Workplace for a grant to subsidize on-the-job training and compensation for new employees and tax credits for apprenticeship training in manufacturing, construction and plastic-related trades.
• In addition, the bill creates a special Veterans Platform to Employment program that will assist long termed unemployed veterans in gaining employment.

*Connecticut businesses in good standing regarding state and local tax payments are considered eligible businesses.

This legislation received support from Steven Kennedy, the Connecticut Team Leader at the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Kennedy provided public testimony and stated this legislation will assist veterans in making the transition from the military, which he called “exceptionally challenging.” He added, in his testimony, that veterans’ skills would fit seamlessly in careers as machinists and this legislation would help veterans find work in Connecticut.

The Military to Machinist Program was voted out of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee by a bipartisan, unanimous vote on March 12. If signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont, this legislation will go into effect October 1, 2019.

About James Maroney: Sen. Maroney was first elected to represent the 14th District (Milford) in 2018. Before being elected to the Senate, he was a State Representative for the 119th District from 2012-2014, where he served on the Higher Education Committee. Due to his distinguished service on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, he was asked to serve on the Planning Commission for Higher Education and help develop a strategic plan for higher education in Connecticut.