AMT Selected as National Partner to Grow Apprenticeships in Manufacturing

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), which is seeking companies and industry partners interested in enhancing their talent pipelines through apprenticeships, in November named AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology,  McLean, Va., as a national partner. 

 

Part of the U.S. Department of Labor's ApprenticeshipUSA program, the partnership seeks to increase access to apprenticeship programs and assist employers in developing new programs that reach diverse talent pools. AMT announced the partnership in a news release issued Nov. 15, the day after the Labor Department selected NIMS to serve as an industry intermediary to support the expansion of apprenticeships within manufacturing.

 

The NIMS initiative includes access to $500,000 to help companies establish registered apprenticeship programs with the Labor Department.

 

NIMS will focus on providing companies with tools and resources to develop customized registered apprenticeship programs, according to AMT. The programs reportedly will combine on-the-job training with job-related classroom instruction and meet national standards for registration with the Labor Department or state apprenticeship agencies. 

 

“For over two decades, NIMS has worked with companies, workforce development groups and community colleges to stand up high-caliber apprenticeship programs across the country,” said NIMS Executive Director Jim Wall. “This contract gives us the unique opportunity to create more impact in our industry by expanding apprenticeships to underrepresented populations and to new companies looking to establish a sustainable talent pipeline.”  

 

For its part, AMT's Smartforce initiative promotes STEM education programs and events where students can explore careers in advanced manufacturing and employers can connect with workforce-ready candidates.

“One way AMT demonstrates its mission to develop a qualified pipeline of skilled workers for the advanced manufacturing industry is by helping its members develop apprenticeship programs,” said Greg Jones, AMT's vice president in charge of the Smartforce initiative. “The skilled worker shortage has helped popularize apprenticeships, which are a time-tested, earn-while-you-learn model that can boost the growth of small- to mid-size manufacturers. We are proud to promote ApprenticeshipUSA, NIMS’ new initiative to expand registered apprenticeships within manufacturing.”

 

Companies that are interested in building an apprenticeship program or organizations that are interested in partnering with NIMS should go to www.mfgapprenticeship.com or email the NIMS ApprenticeshipUSA team at apprenticeship@nims-skills.org.