Manufacturers Association Presents New Pre-Apprentice Program for School Students

Press Release Summary:

Original Press Release:

Mid-2018 Commonwealth Grant for New Pre-Apprentice Program for School Students Now Underway Through the Manufacturers’ Association

(York, PA) – The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in May 2018 simultaneously awarded three new Pennsylvania state Apprentice and Pre-Apprentice grants ─ totaling nearly $400,000 ─ to The Manufacturers’ Association, headquartered in York and which serves the state’s southcentral region.

Designed to build capacity and expand the Association’s current Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programs, the Association views the unique three-grant award as the Commonwealth’s show of support and endorsement for the ongoing work by the Association in supplying a steady pipeline of skilled workers to meet the needs of manufacturing in the region.

One of these grants is now at work building a Pre-Apprenticeship Program started in collaboration with York County Alliance for Learning, for students in area high schools in the York County area.

The intent is to introduce students to manufacturing career opportunities leading to future interviews and then employment.

A December 5 orientation was held for 21 students who attended the session at the Association’s Training Center. Accompanied by career counselors, the orientation served to introduce students to the program and tour the facilities of New Concept Technology.

The program will be 32 hours long and is covering quality and measurement, manufacturing design and processing, computer design and Lean manufacturing.

Schools participating in the new program are Cedar Cliff, Dallastown, Red Lion, Susquehannock, William Penn, West York and York Suburban.

The second grant is helping develop an apprenticeship mentor program for employers and also to build capacity for the current apprenticeship program that the Manufacturers’ Association is well known for, throughout the region.

The third grant, award by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, is enabling the Association to help provide apprenticeship training funds for companies that are not currently connected with the Association’s apprenticeship program and which enroll a new apprentice in the Fall.

In May of 2017, the Association was approved as a ‘group sponsor’ of apprenticeships with the state office, allowing manufacturers to register directly with the Association for a state-approved registered apprenticeship program.

Adding to the Tool and Die and Machinist apprenticeships that the Association already sponsors, these grants will help build the program in trades such as an industrial maintenance, quality technician and a short-term industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship.

The Association currently has almost 60 apprentices from over 20 companies in its program ─ and its goal is to come close to doubling that number, according to Training Manager Brian Paterniti. “One of our main objectives as an Association that recognizes the critical workforce needs of its members, is to help ensure there is a steady pipeline of skilled workers to meet the needs of local businesses. Apprenticeships can help do just that.”

“We at The Manufacturers’ Association applaud the Commonwealth’s initiative, in recognizing the importance of a well-educated workforce. These awards demonstrate their recognition of the high caliber of training programs we have managed and delivered for many years, to thousands of manufacturing employees here in our area,” noted Todd Willman, the Association’s marketing and membership manager.

The Association initially publicly announced the grants at a July 17, 2018 kick-off announcement and open house at its training center in Emigsville, PA. For questions about any of these state-funded Apprenticeship grants, please contact Brian Paterniti, training manager, at (717) 843-3891 or by email at bpaterniti@mascpa.org.