New Apprenticeship Program Launches At Lakes Region And White Mountains Community Colleges

MANCHESTER, NH — A new Registered Apprenticeship Program is launching in New Hampshire’s North Country through a partnership involving ApprenticeshipNH, Lakes Region Community College, White Mountains Community College, and Rotobec USA Inc.

The program was announced on Monday in Manchester and is intended to support responsible forestry in the region while addressing workforce needs.

The new North Country Registered Apprenticeship Program combines 324 hours of related technical instruction with approximately two years of on-the-job training. The instruction will be delivered through Rotobec’s internal training as well as programming from WMCC and LRCC.

ApprenticeshipNH is a workforce training program of the Community College System of New Hampshire. The ApprenticeshipNH’s Christopher Lalmond, ABA Hub Developer (Northern), worked with college workforce development managers and program coordinators to develop the curriculum. It will include AC/DC electrical theory, fluid power systems, forklift operation, OSHA 30 certification and crane operation, along with factory floor soft skills.

“As a North Country resident myself, there are people in my community who work in forestry and at Rotobec,” he said. “These training programs lead to more than a job — they lead to supporting our North Country community. It's gratifying to help build something high-quality that directly benefits the people I live and work alongside.”

Rotobec USA is described in the announcement as a heavy equipment manufacturer serving the forestry, scrap recycling, waste management, rail, and industrial markets. The company has facilities in Littleton and Groveton, as well as a facility in Sainte-Justine, Quebec, Canada. The announcement says Rotobec is marking the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations in September, a milestone that coincides with the launch of the apprenticeship program.

“This partnership is an investment not only in Rotobec's future, but in the future of our employees and the communities where we operate,” Melissa Charbonneau, the human resource and safety manager for Rotobec USA, said.

The apprenticeship program could also lead to future pre-apprenticeship pathways and links with local Career and Technical Education programs. Those connections are intended to create a pipeline for North Country high school students to explore advanced manufacturing careers close to home.

More information is available at ApprenticeshipNH.com.