A San Diego nonprofit is helping people recently released from prison find jobs in defense manufacturing — jobs for which analysts say demand will increase over the next decade.

In 2016 Rise Up Industries began its transition program for recently incarcerated people in Santee. People learned how to operate modern precision tooling machines.

The machines cut metals of all types into components used by a number of manufacturers — from the latest military drones to luxury sink faucets, said Jonathan Yackley, the executive director of Rise Up Industries.

The machines can cut metal within tolerances of an eighth the width of a human hair, he said.

"So if you take one of your hairs cut it in half, cut it in half again, cut it in half again — that's how precise of the work they can do," Yackley said.

Anthony Watson was cutting brass fittings in one of the tooling machines when KPBS visited Rise Up last month. He grew up in Oceanside where his involvement with gangs led him to prison.

He was paroled last year after spending 27 years behind bars, he said.

Watson, now 57, said he didn't know what he was getting into when he was referred to Rise Up eight months ago.

"First time I came here to Rise Up, I was overwhelmed," Watson said. "I was nervous — I thought I bit off way more than I could chew ... never seen machines like this."

Now he's a machine operator eight months into Rise Up's 18-month program. Watson said his goal is to advanced to the level where he's able to program the machines — a skill that could mean a higher paycheck after graduation.

He's already thinking about the future.

"I would love to start a nonprofit organization to help at risk youth later on down the line," he said. "Also, I'm looking forward to being able to put (a) down payment on a house."

The training qualifies Rise Up graduates for jobs that are in demand. Over the next decade, the maritime industry will need to fill 200,000 to 250,000 jobs, according to a report published this year by consulting firm McKinsey.

According to the Defense Department, the number of unfilled skilled-trade jobs across the defense industrial base today is 400,000 — and could balloon to 2.5 million in 10 years.

Yackley said the cause of the shortfall is simple.

"We stopped training machinists a generation ago," he said. "So many of these jobs -— their lead machinists, their best people — they're 60, 70, 80. They're getting ready to retire, and they need new talent to come in."

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KPBS

Jonathan Lackley, executive director of Rise Up Industries, at the non-profit's San Diego machine shop Sept. 21, 2026.

One way the Navy is trying to shore up its industrial base is via the Talent Pipeline Program. It's a public-private partnership that grants money to small and medium-sized manufacturers to train people to work in skilled trades.

Rise Up Industries is one of them. Last year, thanks in part to support from the Navy, it was able to buy more tooling machines and move into a larger building in southeast San Diego.

"Since we signed the contract, 80% of our graduates have gone on to work for the defense industrial base suppliers," Yackley said. "And it worked so well, The Navy's just extended it."

He said they’re working to change the stigma people can carry with them after prison.

"We had to ... go through some years of overcoming that bias," Yackley said. "But now the script is totally flipped and employers are the ones pursuing us," he said.

In addition to job training, Rise Up students receive assistance finding housing. They've got counselors and financial literacy classes. There's an Alcoholics Anonymous group.

They're also paid full-time wages throughout the program. They graduate as state-certified apprentices.

"One-hundred percent of out graduates have gotten employed upon graduation," Yackley said.

He said the jobs graduates can expect after graduation start at around $30 per hour.