NJMEP Receives US DOL Approval for First Registered Industrial Manufacturing Production Technician (CNC) Apprenticeship Program

On Dec 17, 2019

The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) has received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to offer the first registered Industrial Management Production Technician (CNC) Apprenticeship Program in the State of New Jersey through the NJMEP Pro-Action Education Network.

“NJMEP developed an innovative, nationally approved Computer Numerical Control (CNC) program that is discovering — and then delivering — exactly what skilled workers are looking for in today’s career opportunities,” said Patricia Moran, Director of Apprenticeships, NJMEP. “Skilled machinists are the lifeblood for manufacturers but the local labor pool of skilled workers has been tight.”

“There is a huge need for skilled machinists,” John W. Kennedy, Ph.D, CEO, NJMEP explains. “This is an investment for both the individual and the company and a great opportunity for students to obtain an education without incurring student debt while gaining a successful career foothold in manufacturing.”

For those apprentices in the CNC apprenticeship program, they will earn while learning.

The breakdown of the 1.5-year program for the participants:

•  3,000 hours of paid, on-the-job training and classroom training hours
• Based on the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Production Technician Certification that NJMEP already offers
• Focuses on the foundational production education with more emphasis on CNC technology and CNC lab time
• Program content consist of:  Print Reading, Measurement and Industrial Math, CNC Milling Setup Operations and Programming, Machining Process, CNC Lathe Setup, Operations, and Programming
• No educational costs for the student

Upon completion of the certified program, the apprentices earn the following:

• 3,000 hours of bonified work experience
• Earning a good wage with benefits
• Nationally certified credentials
• No student debt

Today’s machinists must understand computer code to operate the high-tech generation of CNC machines which cut and sculpt manufacturing materials, encompassing everything from metal to plastic – skills that once were accomplished by hand.

“The job options are virtually limitless,” Kennedy said, adding that machinists are needed in aerospace, medical, energy, and other industries.  Kennedy also said that STEM program students could use the apprenticeship as a stepping-stone to further their education and become an engineer.

The Pro-Action Education NetworkTM includes US-DOL approved apprenticeship programs (Technical Sales, Industrial Manufacturing Production Technician, Food Production Technician and Logistics Technician), Train-the-Mentor, on the job training, and career advancement training; as well as the Food Training programs that have received national support from National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST-MEP).  The National NIST-MEP Network alone provides a 14.4:1 Return on Investment nationally and 15.3:1 in New Jersey.

NJMEP’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs approved by the U.S DOL provide employer-driven training to create a more productive, highly skilled workforce for employers and help reduce employee turnover. The programs provide job seekers with increased skills, and a nationally recognized credential to support future career advancement and increased wages.

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