NOVEMBER 23, 2021

SDI Receives 2021 "HIRE Vets" Medallion Award

TEMPE, AZ – U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh recognized Sonoran Desert Institute’s (SDI) parent company Trade Training Company LLC as one of the 849 recipients of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award during a virtual award ceremony presented by U.S. Department of Labor. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act (HIRE Vets Act) Medallion Program is the only federal award program that recognizes employers who successfully recruit, hire, and retain veterans.

Sonoran Desert Institute’s commitment to hiring veterans has earned the School of Firearms Technology the gold award from the U.S. Department of Labor. As a recipient of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award, SDI has proven it meets rigorous employment and veteran integration assistance criteria.

SDI’s Rob Howard, Director of Military and Veteran Services had this to say regarding winning gold: “Achieving this recognition was very important to me, aside from the opportunity to attract new talent and stand out within our industry. For me, this was a way to have SDI recognized outside of education to validate what our organization does daily.”

Sonoran Desert Institute joins 848 other companies from 49 states, plus the District of Columbia, who have shown a commitment to hiring veterans, but also ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service.

Recipients of the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Award meet rigorous employment and veteran integration assistance criteria, including veteran hiring and retention percentages; availability of veteran-specific resources; leadership programming for veterans; dedicated human resource efforts; pay compensation, and tuition assistance programs for veterans. More than 1,400 employers have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion Award since 2018.

About SDI

As an online school with a focus in firearms technology, SDI is proud of any award recognizing their (and of course Trade Training Company’s) attempt to make their school as veteran-friendly as possible. However, SDI is far more proud of its ability to continue to serve veteran and active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.

About the HIRE Vets Medallion Program: The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is earned by businesses that demonstrate an unparalleled commitment to attracting, hiring, and retaining veterans. The 2022 HIRE Vets Medallion Award application period will open to employers on Jan. 31, 2022. For more information about the program and the application process, visit HIREVets.gov.