The helmets to hard hat helps people that have served our armed forces get into many of the field construction apprentiship programs. ie. ironworkers, carpenters, pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, etc. With the raising demand for electric power, and the demand for alternative fuels, construction of new plants and repair of the older ones is really growing in my area, which is just north of you, WI.
Check out this website for the boilermaker apprentiship program.
http://www.bnap.com/process/index.htm
Good luck
Mike