Officials, OhioMeansJobs partner with AWT

Collaboration results in apprenticeship program

The Lake County commissioners and OhioMeansJobs Lake County have announced a partnership with the Alliance for Working Together Foundation on funding qualified individuals for the AWT Apprenticeship Program.

According to the AWT, the state has allowed the foundation to fund apprenticeship programs out of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding this year.

“The apprenticeship program is an earn-and-learn model,” said AWT Executive Director Juliana Petti, who created the program. “It’s designed to have the apprentice working full time while receiving education in a blended educational model, with both online and in-person expert training.

“In addition, the program is 100 percent reimbursable to the companies.

“The stigma of manufacturing being dark, dirty and dangerous, we’re continuing to combat that to show that isn’t the case,” she added. “And we’ve already been successful. I will say U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia recently visited us because there is nothing like this (program) in the rest of our nation.”

The apprenticeship has four program areas: tool and die maker, mold maker, precision machinist, and tool programmer/numerical control.

Currently Lincoln Electric, Component Repair Technologies and Spence Technologies have committed to hosting an apprentice this year, but companies can still sign up.

“With the change i n ( Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) policy and the natural synergy that exists with AWT, forming this partnership will elevate the opportunities for the citizenry of

Lake County,” said Commissioner John Hamercheck. “I’m i mpressed with how comprehensive this program is and it truly does express the value of the individual — this takes a good program to new levels, setting a national standard.”

In the apprenticeship program, there are 25 selfpaced online courses for between 576 to 612 hours of technical-related training that aims to allow learning to happen while following proper social distancing precautions.

Students will also receive instruction in person by an AWT instructor/industry expert on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. at Auburn Career Center.

Commissioner Jer r y Cirino emphasized that the county’s economic future is going to be reliant on the health of manufacturing.

“Workforce development and talent attraction in the industry is crucial for getting people back to work in rewarding careers,” he said, adding there are nearly 1,900 open manufacturing j obs available across Lake County. “This would be a great opportunity for an individual

who lost their job during the novel coronavirus pandemic to receive free training to begin a manufacturing career.”

Commissioner Ron Young applauded the efforts of both organizations.

“We are very proud of the work our workforce development team (headed by Director Patrick Mohorcic) has done to form this partnership with AWT,” Young said. “The partnership will only strengthen our economy and attract new talent to our workforce, where we not only have great jobs, but affordable housing and amenities that are second to none.”

Petti noted AWT is also currently working with Lakeland Community College and Lake Erie College in efforts to help apprentices develop and pursue paths to higher education.

“This initiative is going to help a lot of people,” said Roger Sustar, founder of AWT and owner/retired CEO of Mentor-based Fredon Corp. “This is a real exciting opportunity. Lake County’s manufacturing future is in good hands.”