What is a group apprenticeship program?

Two or three companies can join a group apprenticeship model and the NTMA will write the apprenticeship, interested companies then brainstorm the desired content, work processes and classroom training that makes sense for all companies.

MMT Chats: Developing a Mold Engineering Apprenticeship Model

New mold design and 3D printing company wanted to partner with a local high school to train mold designers and a National Tooling & Machining Association Mold Design Group Apprenticeship was the answer. This episode is brought to you by ISCAR with New Ideas for Machining Intelligently.

^{This episode is brought to you by ISCAR with New Ideas for Machining Intelligently.}

The future of moldmaking is in part and mold design and the necessary engineering fundamentals and skilled workforce are missing. Tami Adams is the Executive Director for the Northwestern PA Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) and she joined Jeff Mertz of Anova Innovations to create a “group” mold design apprenticeship to help fill this design and engineering skills gap.

A key benefit to what Tami and Jeff created is the “group” aspect. If two or three companies want to join into a group model, Tami will write the apprenticeship and all companies benefit. Currently, NTMA has a toolmaker and CNC machinist group apprenticeships. When putting out feelers for a specific mold design apprenticeship, six companies were interested and then brainstormed the desired content – work processes and classroom training that made sense for all companies.

Registration through the state is the most time-consuming step and Tami takes care of that work and then any member company can sign up as an employer sponsor to do the on-the-job training part through this group.

The key to growth is connecting with local career and technical centers and create Pre-Apprenticeships that then feed into the Mold Design Apprenticeship Program.