CAPACITY BUILDER

Beyond The Training Program

The program created through this cooperative endeavor, the Community Based Electrical and Mechanical Craft Technical Training Program, is a one-year program in either electrical or mechanical craft training, though some employees take some or all of the classes from both training areas. This past year, twenty-four people were enrolled in the electrical program, and twenty-four in the mechanical program, plus some extra employees taking a class here or there. All 48 of the fully-enrolled workers were on track to complete the training program in May and June of 2007.

Due to its initial successes and to recently expanded WIB funding and additional grant funding through the Industry Drive Regional Collaborative (IDRC) program, the Craft Technical Training Program now accommodates an entry-level program in addition to the original, mid-level training. Trainees completing this program help to fill the spaces left as a result of other workers advancing in their companies after completion of the original training program. Entry level training is provided through a California Community College Industry Driven Regional Collaborative Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide a short-term 10 week, 320-hour training to individuals desiring to enter the Advanced Manufacturing Industry. Training includes Basic Electricity, Basic Mechanical, Manufacturing Skills Standards Safety and Quality training, work ethics, math, computer literacy and communications. Industry partners offer tours of facilities, participate in mock interviews and address the classes as guest speakers.

In other words, a program that began as an effort to retrain part of the existing workforce has expanded into a program that expanded the pipeline of new skilled workers.