News about Apprenticeships

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has awarded Pennsylvania College of Technology a PAsmart Advancing Computer Science and STEM Education Grant.

The $314,440 grant is part of a Department of Education initiative to help regions grow partnerships between LEAs (Local Education Agencies), higher-education institutions, businesses, early childhood institutions, community groups, and other computer science/STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)-focused organizations.

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The Student & Administrative Services Center at Pennsylvania College of Technology will soon bear the name of retiring President Davie Jane Gilmour.

The college’s Board of Directors convened a special meeting to approve the action at a gala event honoring Gilmour’s 24-year presidency. The board also granted emeritus status to Gilmour, who retires June 30.

The Student & Administrative Services Center, known in campus shorthand as “the SASC,” houses offices for student services such as Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Veterans & Military, the LEAP Center (first-year student assistance) and more. The upper floors of the three-story facility, which opened in 2003, includes spaces for People & Culture (formerly Human Resources), Financial Operations, Information Technology Services, Public Relations & Marketing and executive offices, including the President’s Office and Academic Affairs.

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Penn College’s Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program culminated in graduation on Friday morning, followed by breakout networking opportunities with three of the initiative’s industry partners. Seven of the pre-apprentices (four high schoolers and three young adults from across Pennsylvania) attended in person with their families, receiving certificates of completion and Certified Manufacturing Associate status from the Society for Manufacturing Engineers, among other credentials. Participants learn foundational knowledge and skills related to manufacturing careers during the semester-long program, a substantial commitment that was acknowledged at the ceremony by Ross A. Berger, manager of the MIDAS grant that funds the college’s pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship offerings, and industry technology specialists Chris D. Gramling and Adam J. Yoder. The brief ceremony in Penn’s Inn was followed by Industry Day and a campus tour; taking time to talk with the pre-apprentices were representatives of First Quality, Kawneer and West Pharmaceutical Services Inc.

With Baby Boomer retirements and pandemic-era voluntary departures only adding to the skills gap in industry, Workforce Development’s 2022 Penn College Apprenticeship Summit provided timely food for thought. Tuesday’s daylong event in Penn’s Inn brought together experienced industry representatives and empathetic partners to discuss current trends and the workforce of the future, and brainstormed how apprenticeship programs play a crucial role in recruiting and retaining high-quality employees. Workforce Development serves as a comprehensive clearinghouse for apprenticeships at companies of all sizes, and customizes those offerings to meet industry’s specific needs in fields including mechatronics, robotics, health care, plastics and diesel. In addition to such benefits as career advancement, higher income and a competitive edge, participants in those registered programs now have a pathway to an associate degree in apprenticeship technology.

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With more than 2 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled by 2030 and women making up just 29% of the field’s workforce, it’s undeniable: There’s untapped potential in the world of manufacturing – especially for women. A new YouTube video lets employers and job-seekers alike discover the advantages of these game-changing apprenticeship programs and gives women a huge step toward higher-level positions in the nation’s fast-paced, technologically advanced manufacturing sector. “I don’t think a lot of women understand what manufacturing is,” says Shannon Bower, quality manager at First Quality Products. “I think they see it as that stereotypical laborer getting dirty working with their hands. But new manufacturing is definitely not that.” The 5½-minute video – produced, photographed and edited by Penn College’s Tom Speicher – premiered at Tuesday’s 2022 Penn College Apprenticeship Summit.

Nine people who completed a four-year registered apprenticeship program in mechatronics – the first cohort of Pennsylvania College of Technology apprentices to do so – graduated March 31 in an on-campus ceremony.

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Apprentices throughout the nation can enhance their career potential by completing a new degree at Pennsylvania College of Technology that augments their technical expertise.

To be offered in Fall 2022, the apprenticeship technology major at Penn College leads to an associate degree for those who have completed a registered apprenticeship program or are currently enrolled in one. The 22 credits of general education and career development coursework culminating in the degree can be taken in person or online and be completed in two semesters.

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The state House Majority Policy Committee visited Penn College’s main campus on Tuesday, taking a tour before holding a hearing on “Growing Pennsylvania’s Economy.” Twelve members of the committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer, of McKean County – joined remotely by others – heard testimony during the two-hour session in the Thompson Professional Development Center. Among those sharing their expertise were Shannon M. Munro, the college’s vice president for workforce development, characterized by co-host Rep. Jeff Wheeland as “the go-to person” in her field. “Because employers grow the economy, we must respond to their needs,” Munro said. “Penn College does this in two distinct ways: We provide a pipeline of graduates in degrees that align with what employers are looking for, and we also offer lifelong training opportunities for their incumbent workers.”

Modular apprenticeships, characterized by Workforce Development’s executive director for business development as a “missing piece” in the employee training puzzle, are the focus of the second in a series of blog posts about Penn College’s apprenticeship program. “The idea is to take a large apprenticeship program and segment it into modules that focus on common topical areas,” Christopher P. Ray says. “This allows for employees to benefit from the entire upskilling program if needed, or to focus time and effort only on the segments that apply to their areas of responsibility.”

Penn College’s proven prominence in helping companies improve their employees’ skills through apprenticeship training is reflected in a new feature of the campus community’s blog. Laying the groundwork for a planned series of insightful posts, author Christopher P. Ray – Workforce Development’s executive director for business development – debuts with a definition of what separates the program from the myriad other “ships” in the workforce world.

Penn College’s Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program held a brief ceremony Monday morning, acknowledging the five graduates who successfully completed the 10-week training.

While the AMP program is generally geared toward students in high schools and career and technical centers, exposing them to potential livelihoods while they formulate their respective paths, the latest group featured young adults embarking on new adventures: Daquan Alford Jr., of Williamsport; Christopher Cormelison, of Hughesville; Racheal Pandolfell, of Berwick; Dylan Peters, of Mill Hall; and Ryan Yingling, of Lock Haven.

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An Emergency Medical Technician pre-apprenticeship course, beginning the week of May 4 and running through Aug. 12, will be offered on main campus by Workforce Development at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

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“Every minute you’re here, you’re getting trained.”

That’s the real-world perspective of Tyler G. Smith, a maintenance technician at West Pharmaceutical Services Inc., who is three-quarters into a four-year registered apprenticeship program administered by Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Workforce Development department.

“Every minute” is part of the 144 hours of annual classroom theory – four hours, once a week – designed to help employees and employers alike plug the gap between skilled positions and the workers who fill them. This instruction supplements the 2,000 hours that Smith and his classmates each spend training on-the-job.

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Workforce Development at Penn College welcomed scores of school administrators, counselors and teachers Tuesday to its 2019 Pre-Apprenticeship Summit, where educators learned how to prepare today’s high school students for the in-demand, high-skilled careers of tomorrow. A full agenda covered various facets of pre-apprenticeships – what they are, the benefits of integration into the secondary curriculum, and how they can pave students’ path to both college and career. Featured speakers at the Thompson Professional Development Center event were Eric Ramsay, director of the Apprenticeship and Training Office, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry; Christina Herman, Career Ready specialist for the state Department of Education; and Stephen Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center. Also presenting was Ross A. Berger, a client development specialist at the college.

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Four employers met with more than a half-dozen Jersey Shore Area High School juniors and seniors Wednesday as Penn College Workforce Development hosted an “Industry Day” for students in its advanced manufacturing pre-apprenticeship program. Representatives of the Hershey Co., West Pharmaceutical Services, First Quality Enterprises and Conestoga Wood Specialties each provided an overview of their respective operations, corporate culture and career pathways, then networked with members of the group. (Students from Central Mountain High School were unable to attend.) This year is a grant-funded pilot for the college’s pre-apprenticeship program, and Christopher P. Ray, Workforce Development’s executive director for business development, said he hopes the 2019-20 program broadens participation by businesses and school districts alike.