Martin Helms leads Helmets to Hardhats, but his Union career began as an IBEW apprentice and developed into being a Journeyman, Foreman, and then the Training Director for his local apprenticeship program. As a successful Helmets to Hardhats (H2H) participant from 2005, Mr. Helms has a passion for the program’s mission and a special understanding of the career pathways that H2H provides.
With over twenty-two years of ongoing service in the Army National Guard, years of joint labor-management apprenticeship experience, and an Associate Degree in Electrical Maintenance Technology from Stark State College, he brings strong training, management, military, and recruitment experience that the organized trades need for veteran recruitment. He has personally experienced the struggles of transitioning from military to civilian employment, which makes him compassionate for other service members.
Now, Mr. Helms is opening a new chapter to Helmets to Hardhats by making his mission of paying it forward to other service members and veterans to make them aware of the awesome opportunities in the organized construction trades. Though Helmets to Hardhats can be credited with leading to many of the successful opportunities he has had, his family is the rock behind everything.
