Students embark on German-style apprentice program

NEWNAN (AP) - Ten Coweta County high school students have been chosen as the inaugural class of a program billed as the United States’ first Germanstyle apprenticeship program.

Students are now part of Georgia’s “grow-yourown- workers” movement, The Newnan Times-Herald reported.

Earlier this month, the students signed contracts with eight Newnan industries to become part of a carefully constructed rep- lica of the German apprenticeship system. The Newnan newspaper reports that the system has supplied a pipeline of skilled workers for Germany’s businesses and industry for more than a century.

Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is working with college and career academies, school systems and business people to create similar partnerships around the state, but Coweta’s is the first to get off the ground, The Times-Herald reported.

“This program has the ability to reshape our perception of the role of public education as we chart a new course in how to better prepare our students for life after graduation,” Cagle said.

Martin Pleyer, chief operating officer for Grenzebach Corporation, first brought the idea before Coweta County business and education leaders and it was wellreceived. He suggested establishing a pipeline of skilled workers similar to the apprenticeship system that has existed in his native Germany for more than a century, the Newnan newspaper reported.

State lawmakers then tweaked state law and local educators adjusted curriculum so the Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training Program could have its first-ever class of industrial mechanics apprentices.

The consortium will allow students to begin their apprenticeships in 10th grade with a combination of traditional classes, manufacturing courses, and apprenticeship modules.