July 11, 2022
By Kaitlyn Timmons, Prime Metal Buildings & Components
In 2021, Prime began participating in the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge Program. The DoD SkillBridge Program, sometimes referred to as the Career Skills Program (CSP), is a program that motivates Service members to take advantage of training and development opportunities throughout their military career. This program offers Service members the chance to gain beneficial civilian work experience through specific industry training or internships during the last 180 days of service.
Prime offers participants a hands-on, 12-week internship at the structural steel manufacturing shop. Interns have a choice to choose from three internships including welding, corrosion control, and fitting.
“That’s what is good about the SkillBridge Program, it sets up Service members with a new life skill,” explained Kyla Henderson, Prime’s HR Manager.
Douglas Caron, who is originally from Florida, chose Prime for his internship. Caron served seven years as an Infantry Squad Leader and two years as the noncommissioned (NCO) officer in charge of funeral detail. Caron was stationed in Twentynine Palms, California for seven years and in San Diego, California for two years.
During his internship with Prime, Caron chose to gain welding experience. Throughout his internship, Caron had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of welding. He performed welding on prefabricated structural steel to fill work orders using shop drawings and blueprints.
“I knew I wanted to weld and end up in Texas, so Prime was a perfect choice,” explained Caron. He explained that his internship consisted of a fast-paced learning environment which helped him keep focused on the task in front of him.
Prime partners with SkillBridge to offer real-world training and work experience in the manufacturing shop with the potential of a full-time job offer to the participant after the internship is over. After Caron’s internship duration was over, he was offered a full-time welding position with Prime and he accepted.
“I stayed at Prime 100% for the people,” explained Caron. “Both above and beside me, the people are the main reason I decided to stick around.”
If you are interested in Prime’s CSP program, visit https://www.primebldg.com/militarycsp/ for more information and eligibility rules.
