Middlesex County Chamber: 10 Graduate From Workforce Alliance Skill Up For Manufacturing

Press release from the Middlesex County Chamber:

November 03, 2021

10 Graduate from Workforce Alliance Skill Up for Manufacturing Program at Gateway Community College

Free pre-apprentice training program recruiting employers and job seekers to participate

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – October 26, 2021 – Workforce Alliance and Gateway Community College leaders hosted a ceremony at Gateway Community College on Oct. 25 to celebrate 10 graduates and the 14th cohort to complete the Skill Up for Manufacturing pre-apprentice training program. To date, more than 170 Connecticut residents have completed the free program created and delivered in partnership with Connecticut manufacturers.

“We hear it every day, there are literally thousands of unfilled manufacturing jobs and not enough qualified workers in Connecticut to fill them,” said Bill Villano, President and CEO of Workforce Alliance, whose organization developed Skill Up with local employers using a successful model from Eastern CT. “Our program is filling gaps in perception and knowledge. Many people who enter our program haven’t thought about a career in manufacturing because they didn’t understand the long-term viability and career path. At the same time, many employers are not able to invest the time and money in training entry-level candidates. We’re addressing both, and this program is delivering promising results.”

Participants complete 250 hours of training and pre-apprenticeship hours and receive hands-on experience to begin careers in the manufacturing industry. Coursework includes OSHA 10 certification and Lean Six Sigma. Support services are available to participants while in classroom training including travel reimbursement. All required books, tools and clothing are included. A cash stipend is paid to participants as they reach training benchmarks and upon completion and manufacturers who hire pre-apprentices can qualify for on-the-job training reimbursement.

Interested participants should visit http://www.workforcealliance.biz/skillup.

Registration is underway for upcoming Skill Up for Manufacturing classes starting early next year including:

•        Intro to Plastics Manufacturing, a 7-week class Jan. 3 to Feb. 18. Mon. to Fri. from 3 to 9 p.m. at Middlesex Community College/Vinal Technical High School in Middletown.
•        Intro to Manufacturing, a 5-week class Jan. 10 – Feb. 14, Mon. to Fri. from 3 to 9 p.m. at Gateway Community College and Eli Whitney Technical High School in New Haven/Hamden.

 
Skill Up for Manufacturing is seeking additional manufacturing employers seeing to grow their workforce. Interested organizations are encouraged to contact Business Services Specialist Paul Gagne at (203) 867-4030 x 219 to find out how to recruit candidates, receive on-the-job training reimbursement, provide training content and participate in the program.

About Workforce Alliance
Workforce Alliance is the policy and oversight organization responsible for creating a comprehensive, community-wide response to the challenges of building a highly skilled workforce in South Central CT, which comprises 30 towns. Board members include business owners, local elected officials and community leaders in order to meet changing local needs and shifting national economic and workforce trends. Workforce Alliance oversees four American Job Center South Central CT locations in New Haven, Meriden, Middletown and Hamden. For more information visit workforcealliance.biz.

South Central CT includes 30 towns: Bethany, Branford, Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Haven, Essex, Guilford, Haddam Hamden, Killingworth, Madison, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Old Saybrook, Orange, Portland, Wallingford, West Haven, Westbrook and Woodbridge.

This press release was produced by the Middlesex County Chamber. The views expressed here are the author’s own.