What People are Saying | NJMEP New Jersey Apprenticeship Program
Part of NJMEP’s Pro-Action Education Network™ includes the Registered Apprenticeship programs for New Jersey manufacturing businesses. July 7, 2019, marked NJMEP’s first official apprenticeship signing day and apprentices, representatives from their company’s, industry partners, and government officials came out in support of the program.
See what these individuals have to say about NJMEP NJ Registered Apprenticeship program. Find out how the New Jersey manufacturing industry and the people involved benefit.
NJMEP Pro-Action Education Network™ Apprentice Program
“When I went to Exothermic Molding, I didn’t know anything about molding, I just wanted a job. My company continues to push me to become better. Overall this apprenticeship program, to me, has been a success and I think it’ll continue to benefit me because I feel like this is the new way. Everybody’s path is different. [NJMEP’s Apprenticeship Program] offers hands-on training along with classroom training.”
“I like the program so far, especially this class [Communication in the Workplace / Leadership]. It’s giving me a lot of ideas on how we can move the company towards the future. It gives me a lot of ideas how we can cross-train new employees coming in. When it comes to the cross-training and having all the setups written down. I think it’ll also help with language barriers to help us give everybody an equal opportunity.”
“I had no prior knowledge of manufacturing in this field until I came to my company, Knickerbocker. I found an interest in production and manufacturing. and the fact that the president of the company is willing to invest in my education here is absolutely fantastic. I get to learn more about the technical aspects of the work such as calibrations, I get to learn certain measurements that apply to dyes and learning how to read pneumatic diagrams.”
“[The NJMEP Apprenticeship Program] is another outlet to get a different experience, more education. It’s a path that nobody knew about. We all thought it was [our job] was a dead-end, but now there’s a road ahead that can take us to new heights.
Personally, [the NJMEP apprenticeship program] helped me get a deeper understanding of production, a deeper understanding of how a company works on the inside, behind the scenes, the whole nature of the beast. It’s an eye-opener. I’m hoping to keep the ball rolling and keep educating myself.”
“I’m learning stuff that I never really learned before. It’s good to know how things work in the manufacturing field because they don’t teach you this at the high school level. I think the program is really good to have and I think it will go far.”
“We are fortunate to have been included in this program which has afforded us the opportunity to further develop our employees’ skills and our processes.
I would also like to mention how impressed we were with the Inaugural Apprenticeship Signing Day. It was very well planned and also gave us an opportunity to meet some of the people we only speak to on the phone. “
“I’ve been with Bruker for the last two years. One of the first things I wanted to do was to establish an apprenticeship program within our organization. We were looking for machine operators, we were looking for maintenance mechanics.
Without Patti’s help [Patricia Moran, Director of Apprenticeships at NJMEP] it would have never happened.”
“You [Patricia Moran, Director of Apprenticeships at NJMEP] are definitely on the right track with the apprentice program and pre-apprentice program. As you and I both know, these kind of programs were commonplace 40+ years ago and it’s great to see people like you pushing for these again. It‘s also great to see that finally, manufacturing companies are realizing that investing in these programs and training people is the key to sustain growth and workforce stability.”
“The thing I’m most excited about was the diversity of the apprentices that were here today. Demographically, ethnically, but more importantly the age groups that were here. It wasn’t just a bunch of kids who just got out of high school or just got out of college. I think it’s really important to build on the pathway of lifelong learning. [With programs like these] You not only help yourself and your family, but you also help the economy of New Jersey. “
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“I think apprenticeship is the perfect segue from vocational schools, where students get introduced to manufacturing. [It gives students a] real-world pathway to put the skills they gain in high school to work.”
As NJMEP’s Pro-Action Education Network™ continues to move forward, check back for even more statements from people participating in the program. Follow along and see how the apprenticeship program moves forward and find even more stories from the apprentices and their employers. The New Jersey Manufacturing workforce needs workers with the right skills to help these businesses thrive in an increasingly competitive environment.
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To learn more about the Pro-Action Education Network™ and find additional information about the Registered Apprenticeship program or the other aspects of this workforce development initiative, visit the Pro-Action Education Network™ page, here.