LANCASTER, Pa. – Yamilette Ancheta, Osvaldo Coallo-Mandoza, Dean Rodriguez and Jose Garcia are the first cohort in Pennsylvania to complete HACC’s Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) Apprenticeship Program.
AMES Reese, a powder metallurgy company in Bird-in-Hand, welcomed these new journey workers on March 18, 2019, during a graduation ceremony at the Lancaster Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College.
In addition to graduating from the 18-month program, they earned a journey worker credential from the United States Department of Labor and a certified production technician credential from the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council.
The certifications signify they are competent and authorized to work in the field as a fully qualified employee at AMES Reese.
In addition to HACC and AMES Reese well-wishers, also on hand to congratulate the new journey workers were Eileen Cipriani, deputy secretary for Workforce Development, and Eric Ramsey, director, State Apprenticeship Office, both of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
HACC’s IMT Apprenticeship Program, the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, is an apprenticeship program designed to give individuals the basic understanding of safety, quality, maintenance and production for entry-level workers within a manufacturing facility. AMES Reese was the first corporate partner to sign onto the program in July 2017, after expressing concern about finding a dedicated pipeline of skilled workers.
The program was created with financial support from the Lancaster Economic Development Corporation, Lancaster Workforce Development Board and Keystone Development Partnership.
Since its development, the HACC’s IMT apprenticeship program has grown to six classes across the College’s 11-county service region. New classes are being developed for summer and fall 2019, with an emphasis on high schools and a first-of-its-kind pre-apprenticeship program for high school students in Lancaster County.
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges. HACC offers approximately 100 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 19,000 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), follow us on Instagram (@HACC_edu), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.
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