Mission & Values
Rebuilding American Manufacturing,
One Veteran
At A Time®
Our Mission
The mission of Workshops for Warriors is to provide quality training, accredited STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) educational programs, and opportunities to earn third-party nationally recognized credentials to enable veterans, transitioning service members, and other students to be successfully trained and placed in their chosen advanced manufacturing career field.
All human beings have inalienable and sacred rights regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, religious affiliation (if any), to be treated with respect, fairness, compassion and bereft of oppression.
We are steadfast in our commitment to doing well so that we can make a difference in the lives of those who served, their families, and our country.
We appreciate the service of our service members and make every effort to secure their futures in civilian life.
We respect the support of our donors through responsible planning and management of resources, and adherence to the highest ethical standards.
We are supportive of each other and work collaboratively to maximize the impact of our work.
In 2012, Hernán Luis y Prado received the White House Champion of Change Award. This award recognizes honorees for their exemplary leadership in developing significant systems for change locally and throughout the Nation.
Workshops for Warriors was awarded first place in San Diego Social Venture Partners’ Advance San Diego program. San Diego Social Venture Partners is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic membership organization that provides pro-bono consulting to strengthen local nonprofits.
In 2013, Workshops for Warriors’ Machining Program received its accreditation from the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). NIMS is the only ANSI-accredited developer of precision manufacturing skill standards and competency assessments in the United States.
In 2014, WFW Founder & CEO Hernán Luis y Prado received the Keith M. Turnham Humanitarian Award from the Mayor of San Diego in recognition of his military service and continued commitment to serving the communities of San Diego. Council President Todd Gloria presented Hernán with the award.
The “Breaking Away” Award of Excellence recognizes a community hero in the San Diego area. All awards are chosen by KUSI News and Torrey Pines Bank.
In 2014, Workshops for Warriors won the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award, the Nation’s largest philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership development.
In 2015, Workshops for Warriors was recognized as the SolidWorks West Coast Center of Excellence. SolidWorks is the world leader in 3D CAD (computer-aided design) and CAE (computer-aided engineering) technology, empowering product design teams with intuitive, high performance software programs that run on Windows.
Workshops for Warriors won the 2015 American Welding Society (AWS) Excellence in Welding Award in the Educational Facility category, with an individual Excellence in Welding Award presented to Dean of Welding Lyle Palm. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have shown exemplary dedication to promoting the image of welding in their communities.
Hernán Luis y Prado, Workshops for Warriors Founder & CEO, was recognized as the California District 80 Veteran of the Year by the California State Legislature. He was awarded the honor for his outstanding service to the military community in California.
The Veterans Honor Roll is an initiative by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce led by the Defense, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. This award recognizes businesses and organizations that hire veterans and military spouses. Workshops for Warriors was credited with this lifetime distinction in May of 2016.
WFW Founder & CEO Hernán Luis y Prado was honored with the Latino Impact Award for Inspirational Leader of the Year by San Diego Magazine in October 2016. The award ceremony honors distinguished Latino leaders who are making a difference in their community.
Mutual of America honored Workshops for Warriors with its Liberty Coin Community Partnership Award in 2019.