“Thank you for this opportunity.”

Isaiah Williams grew up in Davis Junction, a small town in northern Illinois. He played football, baseball and did track throughout high school. When asked why he joined the military, Isaiah said, “A lot of my friends were joining. They told me they made great friendships, so I thought, ‘I’ll give it a shot.’”

Isaiah joined the U.S. Army as a Geospatial Engineer in 2019. After serving honorably for four years, he decided to transition out. “I wanted a career change,” he said.

While exploring options during his transition out of the Army, Isaiah met a representative from Hire Heroes who told him about Workshops for Warriors. “I told him I used to work at a machine shop for a few months right after high school, and that I really enjoyed it,” Isaiah said. “He let me know about Workshops for Warriors, and as soon as I got my leave approved from the Army, I signed up.”

Isaiah enrolled in WFW’s machining program for the Spring 2023 semester while he was still active duty in the Army. He officially transitioned out of the military in February 2023.

“It’s great being around veterans here,” Isaiah said. “Even if the other students are from a different branch, it’s a fun time.”

To his fellow veterans considering enrolling in Workshops for Warriors’ programs, Isaiah says, “Do it. The instructors and TA’s make sure that you’re trained in everything you need to know so you can get a career in manufacturing.”