New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and CMC Steel Join Forces with CCM for Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship Program
County College of Morris (CCM) celebrated the launch of a new Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program, made possible through an innovative partnership with CMC Steel and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL).
The Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program was built with input from all three partners. CMC Steel’s apprentices will be provided with the knowledge and skills needed to excel. The program will take an apprentice approximately 4,000 hours or two years to complete, making it the largest and most intensive apprenticeship CCM has ever delivered. Students completing the program will be recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as having completed the program, receiving the Journeyworker designation.
“Partnerships help us to thrive, and we’re honored to partner with CMC Steel and the NJDOL,” said Dr. Anthony Iacono, president of CCM. “Manufacturing is one of NJ’s largest and most important industries, and our Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center (AMEC) was built to address the need of ensuring that manufacturers across the state will be provided with a steady pipeline of highly skilled individuals. Partnerships like this support our mission of changing lives and strengthening communities.”
“Our partnership with County College of Morris and CMC Steel is a shining example of how education, industry, and government can unite to provide invaluable opportunities for skill development, career advancement, and economic growth,” said Robert Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “Through programs like these, we are not just preparing individuals for jobs; we are equipping them to drive innovation and success in New Jersey’s workforce.”
Funding for the apprentices was secured through the Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) grant program. This grant was awarded to CCM by the NJDOL to help students in CCM’s Registered Apprenticeship programs (RAPs) in Advanced Manufacturing, including the Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program. The GAINS grant program promotes the expansion of the RAPs, which are approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, to support better-paying careers and the attainment of advanced credentials.
“CMC Steel is proud to participate in this alliance with NJDOL and CCM, said Paul Hiler, Northeast Area Human Resources Manager at CMC Steel.” “This sort of apprenticeship education benefits our employees in so many ways. Apprenticeships create opportunities to grow professionally and financially in the manufacturing sector which is so vital to New Jersey.”
The Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program is a part of CCM’s Center for Workforce Development, which enables students to learn cutting-edge skills and boost their marketability in an ever-changing job market. This program is a vital part of CCM’s mission with advanced manufacturing, a growing, in-demand sector, having a proven impact on the community.
To learn more about apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing at CCM, visit https://www.ccm.edu/programs/pre-apprenticeship-and-apprenticeship/.