In just one year, the Shifting Gears Automotive Technician Training Program has trained 101 soldiers for new careers after the Army.

The program, created via a multiyear partnership between Raytheon, the Army and General Motors, trains transitioning soldiers to be GM-certified automotive technicians. Raytheon announced the program's milestone Monday at the 2015 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Shifting Gears program has graduated four classes of soldiers since its launch last summer at Fort Hood, Texas. A fifth class is scheduled to graduate at the end of October, bringing the total number of soldiers trained to 117.

The program consists of a 12-week customized, on-post technician training course that includes classroom, online and hands-on technical training.

Soldiers who successfully complete the course receive career counseling, job placement help and employment assistance, as well as access to available GM technician employment opportunities through the company's authorized dealer network. The company needs about 2,500 new technicians every year working on brands that include Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac.

About Michelle Tan

Michelle Tan is the editor of Army Times and Air Force Times. She has covered the military for Military Times since 2005, and has embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Haiti, Gabon and the Horn of Africa.

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