Toyota expands “Giving Veterans a Lift” program

Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), the supplier of the number one selling lift truck in North America, is partnering with its network of Toyota Industrial Equipment (TIE) dealers to expand the “Giving Veterans a Lift” program. The focus of the program is to help veterans find employment and help TIE dealers recruit qualified service technicians. Toyota encourages veterans to apply for TIE dealership service technician career opportunities at toyotalifttech.com. For every veteran hired by a TIE dealer as a service technician in 2012, TMHU will match a dealer’s donation (up to $500) to Hire Heroes USA, in honor of the newly hired veteran.

Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating job opportunities for U.S. military transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses. The services provided help in transition and job search assistance, and job placement services, to those who have honorably served in the U.S. military and to their spouses.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to bring more visibility to the need for greater employment opportunities for our veterans,” said Megan Whitson, Hire Heroes USA’s corporate relations and development manager. “With Toyota’s program not only does a veteran gain employment, but a donation is generated that will help other veterans as well.”

Jeff Rufener, president for TMHU shares the sentiment, “Toyota is honored to assist this deserving group of Americans find employment. We hope to see more veterans bring their expertise to our dealerships and in turn help Hire Heroes USA assist other veterans find employment as well. It is a win-win.”

In addition, Toyota also has enhanced its veteran operator safety training program, which was originally launched in 2011 and provides discounted forklift operator safety training for veterans. This program is available through Toyota’s network of participating dealers and offers veterans a $200 discount on the training.

To learn more about the “Giving a Veterans a Lift” program and the operator safety training program, visit http://www.toyotaforklift.com/pages/training/veterans.aspx.