QUINCY (WGEM) – It’s been a little over a year since a local college launched a program to help students advance their careers in a whole new way.
The Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education, better known as FAME, is an apprenticeship program that partners John Wood Community College Workforce Development students with Tri-State manufacturing companies so they can attend school and work on-site, better preparing them for their careers.
On Wednesday, 10 students sat with their new employers to sign a letter of intent before they strap on their boots and start their careers.
What’s unique about Great River FAME is that there’s no waiting around until graduation to find work. From the get-go, students are immersed in both their education and work simultaneously as they attend classes three days a week and train at their company twice a week.
“Our FAME program that we joined and started last year, we have our second cohort going through,” said John Welker, JWCC dean of Business and Industrial Effectiveness.
Employers at Wednesday’s signing will take their apprentices under their wing and show them the ropes.
“We need to ensure that our team members have a focus on safety,” said Kate Hatem-Pritchett, ADM’s complex manager.
Hatem-Pritchett said this will be ADM’s first time joining the chapter.
“We really see this as a path for them to be both electrical and maintenance technicians,” Hatem-Pritchett said. “And the function behind how all of our equipment works.”
Other companies that established themselves in FAME last year said FAME is a mutually beneficial partnership. Especially with the dozens of new jobs that would come from their Old El Paso expansion.
“This is giving us a skilled workforce that we are lacking right now,” said Jacey Crane, General Mills learning leader. “And it’s really opening the doors for everybody in the program.”
The students will also get paid for the hours they work.
The companies partnered with this FAME cohort include:
- Titan Wheel
- Knapheide
- Gardner-Denver
- Dot Foods
- ADM
- General Mills
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