April 21, 2020
JFF worked with Electrolux to connect over 50 workers affected by the closure of a local plant to an innovative apprenticeship model that will prepare them to join other local employers.
Manufacturing makes up a large part of our private industry in Central Minnesota and these businesses are always in need of skilled workers. The Electrolux employees will be able to gain the skills needed for today’s job market.
Industrial Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship is offered to Electrolux Employees in St. Cloud
In 2015, JFF was awarded $5 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to create 1,450 industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeships across eight states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
As part of this work, our partners in Minnesota worked with Electrolux to support over 50 workers who will be affected by the closure of a local plant. Through an innovative apprenticeship model, these workers will earn a journeyperson card in manufacturing and prepare them to join other local employers.
To learn more about this work, read Electrolux’s press release about the apprenticeship program below.
St. Cloud, Minn—The collaborative partnership that includes St. Cloud Technical & Community College Customized Training, Career Solutions, The Minnesota Regional Training Partnership Center of Excellence, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, International Association of Machinists Local Lodge 623, and Electrolux Home Products announces its joint effort to offer the Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) Apprenticeship. This training will help workers gain certifications, college credits, and a state-certified journey card prior to plant closure.
The IMT Apprenticeship, which is a nationally recognized program, is registered with Apprenticeship Minnesota. The program trains front-line manufacturing production workers in skills manufacturers look for in diverse settings such as food processing, foundries, plastics, and bio-medical production.
The 18-month or 3,000-hour apprenticeship trains workers in a hybrid competency-based format with 2,736 hours of on-the-job learning and 264 hours of related classroom instruction delivered on-site with a live instructor via mediated telepresence. Courses include Safety Awareness, Manufacturing Processes, Quality Practices, Maintenance Awareness, Technical Math, and Print Reading in addition to soft-skills training and certifications in OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR. Participants earn a Journeyperson Card in Manufacturing. With one additional course, Introduction to Computers, participants earn a 16-credit Production Technologies Certificate from SCTCC Customized Training.
The IMT Apprenticeship was initially funded by a $6 million US Department of Labor grant. The program has helped develop a highly skilled and diverse workforce at 30 companies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Career Solutions, a partner of the Minnesota WorkForce Center, St. Cloud, has been awarded the Dislocated Worker project to serve the Electrolux workers by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Through the Dislocated Worker Program, employees are able to access career counseling, job search assistance, and retraining benefits, including the IMT Apprenticeship, to help with a smooth transition to their next career.
“As we support our Electrolux team through this transition, we are pleased employees are participating in a great apprenticeship,” said Peggy Berry, Electrolux plant manager. “The St. Cloud job market is strong and we are glad to work with other community groups to provide this opportunity for our team.”
According to Career Solutions Executive Director Tammy Biery, “There are over 50 workers registered to start classes on September 17th. This a great opportunity for the Electrolux workers as well as manufacturers in the area who will be recruiting employees with advanced manufacturing skills. Manufacturing makes up a large part of our private industry in Central Minnesota and these businesses are always in need of skilled workers. The Electrolux employees will be able to gain the skills needed for today’s job market.”
Electrolux employee Joe Barrata said: “I’m glad that we have this opportunity to better our lives as our employer closes down. This program will hopefully set us all up to keep or improve our livelihoods for the future. Working with a union-sponsored program to keep us in good, union jobs is a very reassuring feeling.”
Electrolux Home Products–Saint Cloud facility is excited to partner with both SCTCC Customized Training and Career Solutions to offer the IMT Apprenticeship to their employees.
To view details regarding the IMT Apprenticeship, companies can visit https://www.imtapprenticeship.org/ or call Jerome Balsimo, Program Coordinator, MRTP at 651-335-2896.
For more information on the Electrolux Dislocated Worker project contact Tammy Biery, Executive Director, Career Solutions Tammy.Biery@CSjobs.org or 320-308-5702.