Garrett Career Development Program Announcing Welding Apprenticeship Program

Article by Jeff Jones | KPC News | September 2, 2021

GARRETT — Forty juniors and seniors are expected to sign up for the paid apprenticeship at the event, and another 38 sophomores at Garrett are waiting in the wings.

The apprenticeship, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, can last up to three years, and is an extension of an existing State Earn and Learn (SEAL) career development welding program at the school.

Garrett’s program is just the third registered apprenticeship in Indiana supported by a workforce development board — Garrett’s partnership is with Northeast Indiana Works — and the largest contingent of students participating among the three programs in the state. The other apprenticeships are in precision machining and certified nurse aide.

In the apprenticeship, students will receive at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning and a minimum of 634 hours of related instruction provided by Ivy Tech Community College at Garrett High School, said Chad Sutton, director of Garrett’s Career Development Program.

“That starts in high school, and that apprenticeship has a certain amount of related instruction that they get here in school,” he said. “When they leave school and get hired by an employer-partner, they would continue that training.

“It takes about three years to get the apprenticeship completed,” Sutton added. “It’s a great way for companies to recruit students, and it’s also a great way for employers to retain people as they work toward completion of the apprenticeship.

“It’s going to be a neat thing for our kids,” he said. “It’s just another way to get them exposed to people in industry.”

A apprentice signing ceremony will take place at 1:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17 in the Garrett Performing Arts Center.

To date, eight employers have signed up to provide on-the-job learning for apprenticeships, including Metal Technologies Inc., TFC Canopy, and Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 166, which also has an articulation agreement with five employers who have agreed to take on Garrett welding apprentices. Several more have reached out since the announcement became public, Sutton noted.

Apprentices completing the program will have demonstrated proficiency in 42 competencies, will have earned a number of industry-recognized certificates, and acquired 21 Ivy Tech college credits.

Kent Prosser, business manager at Local 166, said the apprentice program will be an integral part of the local’s recruitment process “and more importantly, streamlining our recruitment process. Students have the chance to be under the wing of a journeyman and contractor and that could set them up for a lifelong career.”

“I view this as a great opportunity for getting kids to be longtime employees,” said Doug Weaver, plant manager at Metal Technologies. “We win and the students win.”

At Garrett, students are exposed to welding as soon as sixth grade through a virtual welding program that expands and grows to actual hands-on welding by the time they reach 10th grade, Sutton noted.

The welding curriculum — and as a result, the internships — has appeal to students like juniors Jadyn Gilbert and Corbin Klenke.

“It’s setting up my life right now,” Gilbert said. “It means a lot because I don’t do well in regular school.

“To be able to go in and do something I can actually focus on and work hard on, it means a lot,” he said. “To have that opportunity is really great.

“Welding is completely hands-on,” Gilbert stated. “It’s all you and your welder. No matter what, it’s all on you. You’re working to do your best, and you have to strive harder and harder to do better.”

“I just like learning, flames and metal fusing together,” Klenke said. “You can make it as pretty as you want. You can go anywhere with it.

“I grew up with my dad building motorcycle frames and welding parts for them,” he said. “I want to help him out.”

Matt Presley, regional director of the state’s Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, assisted Sutton, director of career development at Garrett High, and Kimberly Tempel, Northeast Indiana Works’ senior director of business services/human resources, in developing the registered apprenticeship.

“This youth welding apprenticeship program serves as a model for all Indiana regional Workforce Development Boards on how to best collaborate, engage employers, and build high-quality work-based learning opportunities for students that will launch careers,” Presley said.

“Congratulations to Northeast Indiana Works and Garrett High School for outstanding collaboration on building a high-quality registered apprenticeship program that delivers skilled welders to northeast Indiana, supports employers in their efforts to sustain and grow business, and expands skill development and career opportunities for students.”

“Northeast Indiana Works is committed to driving collaboration to solve workforce challenges and registered apprenticeships are an important part of that,” Tempel said. “The welding apprenticeship model is the culmination of laser-focused work by everyone involved. We look forward to helping lead similar local efforts with other partners in northeast Indiana.”

Welding instructor Joe Walker has been in the welding field for 25 years before coming to Garrett- Keyser-Butler through Ivy Tech. He sees great potential for students he teaches in grades 10 and 11.

“Some students just want to learn how to weld and have other plans, but the majority of them definitely want to get into industry, so they’re wanting internships,” Walker said. “Some of them want to try different places to see what that’s like so they can determine what they want after high school.” Some students want to go to a trade school and maybe find employment in other parts of the country.”

Several students had internships this summer and have continued those relationships after school, even if it’s a few days a week. “They’re making money and they’ve still got their foot in that door. They can graduate high school and have a full-time gig right out the door.

“It’s tremendous,” Walker said. “They’re opportunities I didn’t have at their age.”

Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/garrettclipper/article_d117d98d-ccfb-5c57-8191-b6170adc3fe7.html