Apprentice programs evolve with the industries they serve
By Clare Goldsberry
Published: February 7th, 2012
Published: February 7th, 2012
Today's metalworking environment has changed dramatically over the past two decades but many apprenticeship programs haven't matched those changes. One trade organization that is transforming the way metalworking apprentices (metal fabrication, mold making and machine shop) are trained is the Tooling & Manufacturing Association. Founded in 1925, the TMA is located in Park Ridge (near Chicago) and is Illinois' premier full-service manufacturing association that serves member companies in that state with various services and programs.
One of TMA's largest and most in-demand training programs is its Related Theory Apprentice Training Program that benefits both the students and the many metal working companies that need skilled employees now more than ever. How best to train these young people in the trade has been the cause of some controversy over the years, however TMA is finding and implementing new methods and avenues of training metalworkers in the 21st century.
At one time, TMA's apprenticeship program had upwards of 400 students every year. However, the economic downturn in 2008 resulted in the program's temporary suspension due to a lack of students. In 2011, the program was revived and revised. Two separate sessions of first year related theory apprentice training are currently running.
New director of education
In fact, TMA is so dedicated to its Apprentice Training program that it recently hired Patrick Osborne as its Director of Education to oversee the program's advancement. "With the downturn in the economy, the training budget was the first thing to go in many companies," says Osborne. "Two years ago, nobody was training. Companies were laying people off."
Today, TMA is experiencing a renewed interest in the program as metal fabricating, tool and die, moldmaking and machining facilities are experiencing a resurgence in demand from a recovering manufacturing economy. "The crown jewel of TMA has always been the Apprentice Training program," says Osborne, "and we're pleased that the program is coming back strong. The TMA Apprentice Training Program has changed in many ways. Our curriculum is changing and we're constantly looking to make it stronger, as well as looking at different ways to teach students."
| Helping employers hire and develop employees with confidence |
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Getting started in TMA's Apprentice Training Program requires potential students to first take a WorkKeys job skills assessment program, developed by ACT. WorkKeys can also help employers select, hire, train, develop, and retain a high-performance workforce. WorkKeys assesses employee competence in several areas to assess the participant's readiness for training. WorkKeys focus on three areas: Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. These three WorkKeys tests demonstrate a candidate's preparedness in the foundational skills and abilities necessary for success in the working environment. ACT maintains an extensive database of job profiles, making it easy to measure a candidate's skill set against position requirements. It is also easy to generate custom job profiles that reflect the unique demands of a specific manufacturing company. After completing these three assessments, participants are eligible for a National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC). "Targeted training makes the most of your training dollars," states Osborne. "It allows employers to pinpoint specific areas for employee development, producing better results with lower overall costs." Bill Hoffer, president of Hoffer Plastics in South Elgin, IL, notes that his company has also taken advantage of ACT's WorkKeys' readiness assessment and measurement in areas such as proficiency and suitability for various jobs. During 2011, Hoffer added 18 employees whose reading skills and qualifications were certified by screening, interviewing and hiring processes. "Our company needs employees with demonstrated skills to ensure the quality of our products," says Hoffer, whose company has 97 injection presses as well as moldmaking and mold repair. "This skilled workforce initiative is so important." Senator Dick Durbin, (D-IL) recently toured Hoffer Plastics and was very impressed with the ACT WorkKeys assessment program. He told Bill Hoffer that while he couldn't promise the money for it, adopting a similar program throughout Illnois "is do obvious" and agreed to work with WorkKeys representatives and facilitate contact with state officials for the next steps. Developing training programs that fit today's metalworking requirements is critical to the success of not only the new employees but of the company as well. Retiring baby boomers will soon - if not already - create a shortage of 80 million experienced workers, and a lack of that "tribal" knowledge that comes with all that experience. "With younger - and often less qualified - people stepping in to take their place, succession planning in the area of hiring and skills development is more critical than ever," states Osborne. |
From apprentice to teacher
Jonathan Martinez attended the program from 1998 through 2001, and he's one of the program's success stories. Today, Martinez is the Operations Manager for X-L Engineering Corp. in Niles, IL, a state-of-the-art machining facility serving the medical, aerospace, business equipment and new technologies markets. In addition, Martinez is also a teacher in TMA's revitalized Apprentice Training Program.
"I'm glad we're starting these classes again and that interest in apprentice training has picked up," says Martinez. "Many of the Chicago public schools have cut back their vocational programs in recent decades, and this reduced number of workers skilled in machining practices causes real difficulty now as I look for replacements for people who have left or are retiring from the industry."
Rich Nielsen, Director of Engineering for IMS Burke-Olson LLC, based in Arlington Heights, IL, has a long history with TMA. He taught in the Apprentice Training program for 10 years a number of years ago, and has served on the Training Committee and on the Board of Directors as well. "Traditionally, the TMA model is that the employer provides the hands-on training and TMA offers the related theory training," Nielsen explains. "At IMS Burke-Olson we've been training apprentices using TMA Apprentice Training for a long time. IMS Burke-Olson has been a TMA member since 1955."
Like Martinez, Nielsen is grateful for the return of the TMA Apprentice Training program. "The downturn really hit us between the eyes, and we called it off for a couple of years," he says. "However, during this time we explored other options of delivering the material and drove our research into the online training movement, and that led us down a path toward some possibilities in the future. Starting this year, as we polled members, we're expecting the training levels to increase."
Nielsen concurs that finding skilled employees is a challenge that is made more difficult by the lack of people being trained over the past few years. "There's a larger gap than ever in the pool of workers out there," Nielsen notes. "There are still a lot of older people, but we need younger people to enter the trade now so they can take advantage of the knowledge base in our companies of these older workers."
