Building Design & Opportunity: Our Commitment Through SkillBridge
At Benevolent Design Co., craftsmanship is more than a skill; it’s a way of life rooted in quality, integrity, and legacy. Since 2013, we’ve been creating high-quality custom furniture and cabinetry in Virginia Beach for both residential and commercial clients. Every piece we make is designed to last, using timeless materials, premium finishes, and techniques that honor the tradition of woodworking while meeting modern design needs.
Part of what makes our work meaningful is the small team behind it. We’re a tight group, and over the years we’ve had the privilege of working alongside service members transitioning out of the military. Their perspective and commitment have added a lot to our shop, which is why our partnership with the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program is so important to us. It’s an opportunity to support that transition while sharing the craft at the center of what we do.
What is SkillBridge?
SkillBridge is a DoD initiative that allows active duty service members, during their last 180 days of service, to participate in civilian apprenticeships, internships, or job training with approved organizations—while continuing to receive their military pay and benefits.
In other words, it bridges the transition between military and civilian careers, offering service members valuable real-world experience while giving companies like ours access to motivated, disciplined, and skilled talent.
Why We Participate
For us, SkillBridge is a natural extension of who we are as a company. Here’s why:
1. Apprenticeship & Craftsmanship Culture
Woodworking and cabinetry are learned by doing. By hosting SkillBridge participants, we can teach joinery, finishing, cabinetry techniques, and shop safety hands-on. This creates an apprenticeship pathway where service members gain real skills, and we in turn build a pipeline of future craftsmen.
2. Shared Values
Veterans bring discipline, precision, and dedication. All qualities that align with our brand. By supporting service members in transition, we reinforce our values of community, integrity, and legacy. Our clients often tell us they appreciate knowing that their custom furniture was built with this kind of purpose behind it.
3. Mutual Fit Before Commitment
SkillBridge allows both sides to evaluate fit. Service members get to explore a new career path in woodworking and design. We get the opportunity to assess craftsmanship, reliability, and cultural alignment before extending full-time employment.
4. Real Impact for Service Members
SkillBridge provides more than skills. It offers stability during transition. Many veterans face uncertainty when leaving the military. By providing meaningful, hands-on work in our shop, we help them discover a trade that can become a lifelong career.
The Bigger Picture
Across the country, more than 22,000 service members enrolled in SkillBridge in 2022, and participation continues to grow. Programs like these have proven to lead to high hiring conversion rates—some reports show as many as 85% of participants receiving offers after completing their placement.
While the data varies, we’ve seen firsthand the value of this program: veterans gain confidence and career direction, and our company gains talented, motivated team members who care about their work.
“During my transition to the civilian sector after a 20 year military career, I had the privilege of participating in the DOD Skillbridge program at BDCO. After several months immersed in many different aspects of the business from hands-on with the equipment, design, installation, and management; I set out on my own building my finish carpentry business from the ground up. While working at BDCO taught me so much more than I expected, it also exposed me to a group of hard-working and talented people who are sincerely passionate about their craft. Highly recommended!”
-Noah Ziegler
Looking Ahead
At Benevolent Design Co., we believe furniture should be an investment: something made to last, not just for today but for generations. We approach our people the same way. Supporting service members through SkillBridge helps us invest in the next generation of craftsmen, strengthen our team, and carry forward the values that define our brand.
If you are a service member interested in woodworking, cabinetry, or design—or if you know someone preparing to transition—we’d love to connect. SkillBridge is more than a program for us; it’s a partnership in building lives, careers, and furniture that lasts.
