CONTACT:
Sears Public Relations And Communications
(847) 286-8371
Craftsman(R) Tools Joins Forces With Helmets to Hardhats to Help Soldiers Transition Into Civilian Jobs
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (International Builders
Show) - In yet another show of support for the nation's military, Sears
Holdings today announced an alliance for the Craftsman tool brand with
Helmets to Hardhats. A nonprofit organization created by the Building and
Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, construction industry employers
and trade associations, Helmets to Hardhats helps veterans successfully
transition into family-supporting careers in the civilian sector. Helmets
to Hardhats connects National Guard, Reserve, retired and transitioning
active-duty military members with quality career training and employment
opportunities within the construction industry.
Under the agreement, veterans who register with Helmets to Hardhats
(http://www.helmetstohardhats.org) and are placed as an apprentice or
journeyperson will receive a $50 Craftsman gift card toward the purchase of
$100 or more in Craftsman tools in recognition for their service and to
help them purchase their initial set of tools for their new trade.
"Few people will deny the value of military service, either in terms of
its necessity to secure the American way of life or as an institution that
teaches young people self-discipline, self-respect and the value of
teamwork. However, there is often a disconnect between public recognition
of the value of military service and what our society is willing to provide
our soldiers once they have completed their tour of duty and seek to
successfully reintegrate into civilian life," said Darrell Roberts,
Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats. "One promising pathway for
military servicemembers struggling to secure family-supporting wages and
benefits in the civilian sector is a career in the Building Trades. The
Building Trades and their employer organizations offer the best training
and career opportunities in the construction industry and they are
committed to helping those who sacrificed so much for our country. We
commend Sears for helping our servicemen and women acquire the tools they
need as they start a new career."
"Military veterans represent a resource for highly skilled talent. They
are a highly trainable, which makes them ideal for Building Trades'
apprenticeship programs," said Tom Aiello, vice president of public
relations for Sears Holdings and himself a West Point graduate. "Also,
veterans' strong leadership skills can fill critical shortages for foremen
and site managers in the construction industry. Sears is pleased to extend
its support for the military. In 2008, Sears helped to rebuild or renovate
more than 200 homes of military families by raising more than $5 million
through the Heroes at Home program for Rebuilding Together. Today, we're
helping veterans lay the foundation for a solid career in the building
trades."
Sears and Helmets to Hardhats will promote the alliance, through
marketing vehicles such as craftsman.com, the Craftsman Club newsletter and
through the Helmets to Hardhats e-Newsletters, which reach 14,000 military
and veteran subscribers.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD) is the nation's fourth
largest broadline retailer with over $50 billion in annual revenues and
approximately 3,800 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United
States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as
well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive
repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman
and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels
as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and
Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday products, which are
offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart and in Canada by Sears Canada. The
company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than
13 million service calls made annually. For more information, please visit
Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com.
For more information about how Sears supports the military, visit
http://www.searsholdings.com/communityrelations/hero/military.htm
About Helmets to Hardhats
The Helmets to Hardhats program helps servicemembers and military
veterans put their training to work as they transition to careers in the
building and construction industry. Launched in January 2003 with funding
from the Defense Department, Helmets to Hardhats provides an important link
for veterans and soon-to-be veterans to 15 building and construction trade
unions, construction industry employers and their joint apprenticeship
programs. The program is administered by the Center for Military
Recruitment, Assessment, and Veterans Employment (CMRAVE) a joint labor
management committee created by the Building and Construction Trades
Department, AFL-CIO, and construction industry employer associations.
The principle building trade unions and employer associations involved
in the oversight and direction of the Helmets to Hardhats program are as
follows:
Trade Unions
>
The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied
Workers
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders,
Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of
the United States and Canada
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
The International Union of Elevator Constructors
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and
Reinforcing Iron Workers
The Laborers' International Union of North America
The International Union of Operating Engineers
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and
Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied WorkersSheet Metal3846
Workers' International Association
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Trade Associations
International Council of Employers of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers
Collectively, these organizations represent three million construction
workers and about 82,000 contractors nationwide.
For more information about Helmets to Hardhats, visit
http://www.helmetstohardhats.org.
SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation
Web site: http://www.craftsman.com/
http://www.helmetstohardhats.org http://www.searsholdings.com
CONTACT: Larry Costello of Sears Public Relations,
+1-847-286-9036, Lcoste5@searshc.com, for Sears Holdings
Corporation
