鈥淯ltimately, the apprenticeship program helps us reduce our recruiting costs, because we can train workers in the skills they need for the job instead of hiring them away from another company,鈥� says Linn Yost, CEO of Micro Machine Works in Vincent, Ohio.
West Virginia鈥檚 Advanced Manufacturing 都灵体育直播 Center, , has an Apprenticeship Works program which partners with manufacturers across the country to develop registered apprenticeship programs and customized workforce training for new and incumbent employees. Some of the most in-demand apprenticeships include CNC operator/programmers, tool and die makers, electrical maintenance technicians, and welding technicians.
Multiple services to help manufacturers
Nationally recognized, the program provides a wide range of apprenticeship services including developing and setting up customized apprenticeship programs to meet a manufacturer鈥檚 specific equipment, process, and product needs. It develops online training to complement hands-on training and works with businesses to identify and pull in local resources such as universities, community colleges, and technical schools to provide related training.
鈥淥ne of the things that really differentiates us is that if a company has multiple sites in different states, we can provide them compatible training and related services across all sites,鈥� says Lucinda Curry, RCBI鈥檚 director of workforce development. 鈥淲e also provide guidance to company administrators, mentors, and the apprentices themselves as well as train the trainer courses in advanced manufacturing topic areas.
Customizable to your needs
In the past six years, the program has worked with 67 company sites in 21 states and has sponsored or trained more than 700 apprentices and more than 450 pre-apprentices. Many of the manufacturers they work with have multiple locations in many states.
鈥淲e are very agile and fill in gaps to meet companies鈥� training needs,鈥� Curry says. 鈥淔or example, we are an important resource for small- and mid-sized manufacturers who want a registered apprenticeship program but need administrative and related training expertise which may not always be available locally.鈥�
As part of RCBI鈥檚 customization, industry-recognized credentials such as for machinists or AWS for welders can be added and RCBI trainers are prepared to administer preparation and testing for both NIMS and AWS.
Ohio company trains five apprentices Micro Machine Works is a small, southern Ohio-based manufacturer that has benefited from the program. 鈥淲e are a small job shop with 18 employees and have used the apprenticeship program to hire skilled employees,鈥� Yost says. 鈥淚t is so difficult to find qualified employees in our region. We are currently training five apprentices through RCBI for positions in CNC machining and quality technician. Next year we plan to add an employee in an additive manufacturing apprentice program. Ultimately, the program helps us reduce our recruiting costs because we can train workers in the skills they need for the job instead of hiring them away from another company.鈥�
Training in Illinois and Pennsylvania , headquartered in Neponset, Ill., has trained several apprentices as tool & die makers and CNC machine operators in the past several years. 鈥淲e began working with RCBI in 2017, and we currently have five trainees in the CNC apprentice program in addition to an apprentice who just finished the program,鈥� says Kathy Erdmann, Martin鈥檚 people development and training manager. 鈥淲e鈥檝e consistently struggled to find skilled operations people in our region, and we have successfully used the program to train new hires with very little experience for their positions.鈥�
鈥淲e use the program as a structured method of ensuring good training to fill skilled labor positions that are difficult to fill,鈥� says Tony Cates, human resources director at in Jenkintown, Penn. 鈥淲e鈥檙e currently training six apprentices in CNC machining. The training is robust, and the RCBI staff have been fantastic. They鈥檝e been tremendous in supporting us to ensure the proper selection and training of employees.鈥�
Currently, RCBI is also training apprentices for sight glass manufacturer in West Virginia, and flooring provider Mohawk Industries, Inc. in multiple locations.
