New VAMTAC Center Expands Veteran Career Pathways and Anchors Economic Development in San Diego 

San Diego, CA (August 15, 2025) – Workshops for Warriors (WFW) and VetPowered celebrated today the ribbon cutting of the Veterans Advanced Manufacturing Training and Accelerated Apprenticeship Center (VAMTAC) – a new 25,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility located in the heart of Barrio Logan.

The building represents a collaborative effort between VetPowered, a veteran-owned advanced manufacturing company and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2020 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year, and Workshops for Warriors, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to training, certifying, and placing veterans and transitioning service members into advanced manufacturing careers throughout America. VetPowered will operate the majority of the facility for advanced manufacturing and apprenticeships to support the U.S. Department of Defense to include the submarine industrial base and aerospace sectors. The apprenticeship program also enables WFW to expand its training programs, to train, certify, and place more than 360 veterans a year into welding, machining and fabrication careers throughout the U.S.

“VAMTAC offers the largest veteran-focused training and manufacturing facility in America that blends workforce development with real-world, on-the-job production experience,” said Hernán Luis y Prado, Founder and CEO of WFW and Owner and President of VetPowered. “Together, we’re investing in training veterans and hardworking Americans into dignified lifelong careers while rebuilding America’s manufacturing force one veteran at a time. This ensures the long-term vitality of the country’s manufacturing sector – and in the veterans who will lead it.”

Neighborhood and Economic Alignment

The VAMTAC facility directly supports priorities outlined in both the City of San Diego Consolidated Plan and the Barrio Logan Community Plan by creating quality jobs, expanding educational opportunities, anchoring industrial growth within the urban core, and access to affordable and dignified housing which should be a right for all San Diegans.  The center also aligns with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s vision for inclusive economic development, veteran workforce integration, clean air initiatives, solar energy investments, and investing in historically underserved communities like Barrio Logan.

By delivering accredited training, apprenticeships, and nationally recognized third-party credentials in advanced manufacturing, VetPowered and WFW are revitalizing the local economy. The credentials earned at WFW are a financial passport for lifelong success that ensures that residents, veterans and low-to-moderate income individuals (98% of WFW students are LMI), have access to long-term, sustainable careers.

The ribbon cutting marks not just a milestone, but a springboard. The VAMTAC facility demonstrates what’s possible when public, private and nonprofit sectors align — and opens the door for larger investments to scale this model across the country.

About Workshops for Warriors

Workshops for Warriors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit school dedicated rebuilding American manufacturing by training, certifying, and placing veterans and transitioning service members into advanced manufacturing careers. Workshops for Warriors offers accelerated 16-week training programs in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining and welding, providing students with nationally recognized credentials in their chosen field. Since 2011, Workshops for Warriors has trained over 1,400 students who have earned more than 19,000 nationally recognized credentials. For more information, visit wfw.org.

About VetPowered

VetPowered is a precision manufacturing company founded by a U.S. Navy combat veteran. VetPowered is an 8(a)l, Service Disabled, Veteran Owned Advanced Manufacturing Company that is ITAR certified, and AS9100 Rev D certified for aerospace and Defense work since 2009.  The company partners with WFW to provide apprenticeships, on-the-job training and mentorship for graduates. Learn more at VetPowered.com.