WVA Manufacturing of Alloy has joined the growing list of Mountain State companies taking advantage of the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center's (MAMC) Apprenticeship Works initiative to meet the company's workforce needs.
A subsidiary of Ferroglobe – a global leader in advanced metallurgical products – WVA Manufacturing produces silicon metal at its sprawling Fayette County plant that is used in a variety of products, from aerospace to aluminum, solar panels to semiconductors, batteries to healthcare products and even cosmetics – to name a few.
Like other companies across the country, WVA Manufacturing is confronted with an aging workforce, with an average age of 50 among its 250 employees. If the knowledge and skills of those older employees isn't preserved, the company could face a shortage of skilled talent to operate the company's specialized equipment.
"With the average age of our workforce nearing retirement age, it is critical that we transfer the skills and knowledge of our most experience employees to our newest employees," explained Kim Knapp, WVA Manufacturing's Manager of Training, Development and Grants. "For this situation, apprenticeship programs make the most sense."
MAMC's Apprenticeship Works provides a flexible approach, one that Knapp and Justin Hatcher, a maintenance employee and President of United Steel Workers Local 8-89 said is a good fit for the company. "We have some very specific processes and equipment here that you don't typically see in a classroom, so a lot of the learning is through customized and on-the-job training," Knapp said. "The partnership with Marshall allows us to bring our training programs on-site, vary our delivery methods to meet individual needs, and offer a nationally recognized credential."
WVA Manufacturing currently has 10 employees enrolled in the MAMC-sponsored apprenticeship program: one machinist apprentice and nine industrial maintenance mechanic apprentices, with plans to add six industrial electrician and four more industrial maintenance mechanic apprentices in the coming months.
"WVA Manufacturing has a robust training plan that is essential for employee development," Knapp said. "Having a responsive and flexible partner who understands workforce development, like the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, makes all the difference in the effectiveness of our training. We look forward to expanding our partnership through these registered apprenticeship programs."
MAMC's Apprenticeship Works assists manufacturers across the country with establishing U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) registered apprenticeships in more than 20 high-demand industrial occupations. MAMC provides train-the-trainer services, related online instruction and assists companies with tracking the progress of apprentices as well as DOL reporting.
The framework for each occupational apprenticeship is DOL-approved and industry vetted to ensure apprenticeships deliver the required skills and knowledge for each occupation. Those who complete the program earn nationally recognized DOL journeyman certifications.
Because Apprentice Works is funded entirely though the DOL Office of Apprenticeship – Employment and Training Administration grants to MAMC, the service is free to participating companies, who can customize apprenticeships to their particular operations.
That customization empowers companies to make the program their own, something that Knapp said is important. She emphasized that the apprenticeship program at WVA Manufacturing is a valuable partnership between the company and its employees.
"It's important to involve employees in the development of this program," Knapp said. "Those doing the work know what skills are needed most and their input is what makes our training programs successful. Someday, Justin [Hatcher] is going to have his journeyman card and he is going to be the one training new apprentices. When that day comes, he is going to feel confident about the program he's delivering because he was an instrumental part of its design."
In talking to representatives of other companies about apprenticeships, Knapp said she frequently hears concerns that apprentices will receive additional training and certifications then leave. She believes such fears are unfounded.
"No, I'm not worried at all because studies show that if you invest in your employees and you show that you value them, they are more likely to stay. It actually improves retention."
To learn more about MAMC's Apprenticeship Works, visit www.mfg.marshall.edu/apprenticeships.
