FORT WORTH, TX—Shoppa’s Material Handling announced Wednesday their continued commitment to hiring heroes with their participation in Toyota’s “Giving Veterans a Lift” Service Technician Program. The inspiring cause not only helps veterans find career opportunities, but also fills a growing need for qualified service technicians within the industrial equipment dealership.

“We have found the characteristics that are associated with the veterans’ military culture have been very beneficial when hiring them as technicians and associates in general,” stated Pat Kelly, Corporate Vice President of Service Operations, Shoppa’s Material Handling. He continued, “The discipline, leadership qualities, dedication to their worth, willingness to follow directions and culture that they have learned over the years, has really benefited us tremendously.”

Toyota and Shoppa’s encourages veterans to apply for service technician career opportunities at toyotalifttech.com. While the focus of the program is to help local veterans find employment, the program also benefits all veterans seeking employment. For every veteran hired by Shoppa’s as a service technician in 2012, Toyota will match the donation (up to $500) to Hire Heroes USA, in honor of the newly hired veteran. Hire Heroes USA 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.

Aside from uniting veterans with the Shoppa’s family, the Toyota forklift dealership is pleased to announce that veterans can also sign up for discounted OSHA certified Operator Safety Training classes through the Toyota website at www.toyotaforklift.com/pages/training/veterans.aspx.

Shoppa’s Material Handling is a 30-year old privately held corporation that started in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area as a Toyota equipment dealership. The company has continued to grow and now has nine locations throughout Texas and Kansas, including one located in Brownwood.

The company offers a comprehensive line of industrial equipment brands including Toyota, Genie, JLG, Aichi, Bendi, Drexel, Advance, Columbia Par Car, EZ-GO, Cushman, Bad Boy Buggies, Sun EV, and Vantage Vehicle. Currently, there are over 302 employees company-wide with plans for continued growth.

For more information on Shoppa’s Material Handling, visit online at www.shoppasmaterialhandling.com, or for more information about Hire Heroes USA, visit online at www.hireheroesusa.org.