AJAC Celebrates Machining Apprenticeship Graduates for Earning Nationally Recognized Journey-Level Certificate
SEATTLE, WA (PRWEB) June 26, 2014 -- The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) will host a graduation ceremony this Friday, June 27, 2014, at The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA to celebrate AJAC’s 21 graduating Machinist (Aircraft-Oriented) Apprentices. The graduates will be awarded a nationally recognized journey-level certificate for completing AJAC’s four-year apprenticeship program. These new journey-level professionals are employed across 10 aerospace and advanced manufacturing companies in Washington State, including Damar AeroSystems, Orion Industries, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., Umbra Cuscinetti, Inc. (UCI), and more, who participate in AJAC’s apprenticeship program as registered Training Agents.
These apprentices successfully performed 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training (OJT) and completed college-level classes at a community or technical college to learn the theory and practical application behind their training. The graduates earned 60 college credits, which they can apply towards a two-year degree that may articulate into a four-year degree, opening doors to careers in technical education instruction, engineering and management. AJAC's graduation will be a significant and momentous occasion for AJAC Training Agents and the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries. AJAC’s apprenticeship program provided each company a method to capture and pass on the knowledge and skills of their most experienced machinists.
As these graduates take their next steps as the new generation of machinists and leaders in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, they will hear from keynote speaker, Chandra Brown, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce and five guest speakers, including:
• Video Welcome Message from United States Senator Patty Murray
• Janie Vigil, Human Resources Director, Cadence Aerospace
• Miley Johnson Molstad, AJAC Graduating Apprentice and Orion Industries Sheet Metal Technician
• Kirk Adams, President and CEO, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.
• Jon Holden, District President & Directing Business Representative, Aerospace Machinists District Lodge 751
“This is such an exciting time for not only these graduating apprentices, but for aerospace and advanced manufacturing in the state of Washington. These apprentices represent our new generation workforce who will carry on the invaluable knowledge and skills of their mentors and those retiring in the next five, ten years,” said Demetria “Lynn” Strickland, AJAC Interim Executive Director. “AJAC’s graduates are walking out of the program as multi-skilled machinists with the competence and confidence to work on a variety of equipment, across multiple divisions within an organization. They have earned their journey-level card - a sign of their hard work, perseverance and leadership skills. “
“These talented graduates are proof of the incredible success of this apprenticeship program,” Senator Murray said. “I know they will continue Washington’s proud history of excellence in aerospace manufacturing.”
During AJAC’s Machinist (Aircraft-Oriented) apprenticeship program, graduates received 8,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training (OJT) experience at their employer’s job site and attended class one night a week at their local community college, including Bates Technical College, Everett Community College or South Seattle College, to learn the theory and practical application behind their training. The graduates performed their OJT on a scheduled rotation, which trained them on a variety of equipment and processes, providing their company with a flexible and highly-skilled workforce. The equipment and processes included all aspects of Manual and CNC Machining, CNC Programming, Computer Aided Design (CAD) & Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Inspection, Metallurgy, Cutting Tool Technology, and Advanced Machining Technologies, such as Waterjet and Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM).
The graduates are employed across the following Training Agents:
• Acro Machining, Inc.
• Advantage Manufacturing Technologies
• Damar AeroSystems
• Exact Aerospace
• Fluke Metal Products, Inc.
• JWD Machine
• Markey Machinery
• Orion Industries
• The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.
• Umbra Cuscinetti, Inc. (UCI)
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The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) is a statewide, state-funded, non-profit organization that develops and implements Washington State registered aerospace and advanced manufacturing apprenticeship programs for Machining, Aircraft Mechanics, Tool & Die Maker and more. Apprenticeship combines supervised on-the-job training (OJT) experience (93% of the time) with college-level classroom instruction (7% of the time). The programs are industry-driven and offer aerospace and advanced manufacturing employers the opportunity to build a well-qualified and experienced workforce.
Lisa Van Dyke, Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC), http://www.ajactraining.org, +1 206-764-5832, [email protected]
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