D.C. EVEREST YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP SPOTLIGHT
BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF DIVERSE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES WYATT WORTHEN | J&D TUBE BENDERS
EXPLORING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING “I AM GAINING SKILLS IN WELDING, MACHINING, AND BRAZING, AND FUNCTIONING IN SOCIETY AND A WORKPLACE AROUND GROWN MEN IN A SHOP/FACTORY ENVIRONMENT. I JUST TRY TO LEARN AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN EACH NIGHT.”
When D.C. Everest Senior Wyatt Worthen began his youth apprenticeship with J&D Tube Benders, his goal was to gain welding experience. At the time, however, all of the welding apprenticeships were filled. “We decided to start Wyatt with the manufacturing processes,” noted Lisa Felch, Vice President, Human Resources at J&D Tube Benders. “We partnered him with our second shift team lead who came to J&D through a youth apprenticeship-type program and has been working at J&D for 13 years.”
Wyatt began in J&D’s Machine
Shop drilling fittings he would eventually have the opportunity to weld. He then progressed to an apprenticeship in brazing (a process that joins metals by soldering) and is currently working with the welding department. This integrated apprenticeship has not only provided Wyatt with the opportunity to gain more experience with technical drawings, it has allowed him to gain a more comprehensive understanding of J&D’s diverse manufacturing processes — custom precision pipe and tube bending, assembly fabrication, metal tube forming services, cutting and machining. As Wyatt stated, “I am gaining skills in welding, machining, and brazing, and functioning in society and a workplace around grown men in a shop/factory environment. I just try to learn as much as I possibly can each night.”
— WYATT WORTHEN
“I BELIEVE IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESSES TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT YOUTH WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU DO. IT ALLOWS YOUTH TO TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT GOING INTO THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSION MIGHT BE LIKE.” — LISA FELCH, J&D VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES
According to Ms. Felch, Wyatt’s apprenticeship has helped her think differently about the pathways of their youth
program. “I think if the
youth apprentice has the time, it is beneficial to first learn the manufacturing process and then complete a more specialized pathway, like welding. When a company works with a youth apprentice it provides you with an opportunity to continually evaluate your training and onboarding. It also pushes everyone working with the youth apprentice to be better. It’s so rewarding as a company to see a youth apprentice apply what they are learning directly.
The
growth you see from day one to the end of youth apprenticeship is amazing.” For his part, Wyatt is grateful to “be working around the types of people that I do and learning so much from them, and not just about the job but about life.”
Indeed, youth apprenticeships play an important role in redefining how youth envision career opportunities in the manufacturing sector.
“When you get a youth apprentice on the shop floor you are able to change the
stigma of manufacturing,” added Ms. Felch. “When it comes to manufacturing, it’s not your grandparents’ manufacturing plant. There is technology integrated in everything we do, and manufacturing shops are much cleaner and safer than in the past.” By exploring their career interests with a hands-on apprenticeship, students can see for themselves the advanced technologies used in today’s manufacturing environments. “They see the robotic welders, CNC machines, lasers and robotic arms and it usually sparks their interest even more.”Youth apprenticeships give students a chance to explore a career and determine whether it’s a good fit for them, to learn critical skills, demonstrate professional responsibility and see what it’s like to work with area employers. Thus far, Wyatt intends to continue to pursue a career in welding. Asked what has most surprised him thus far, he noted that “one thing that has surprised me, and this may just be the company that I work for, but it surprised me how well they treat their workers and how flexible they are with schedules.”
Youth apprenticeships give students a chance to explore a career and determine whether it’s a good fit for them, to learn critical skills, demonstrate professional responsibility and see what it’s like to work with area employers. Thus far, Wyatt intends to continue to pursue a career in welding. Asked what has most surprised him thus far, he noted that “one thing that has surprised me, and this may just be the company that I work for, but it surprised me how well they treat their workers and how flexible they are with schedules.”
D.C. EVEREST SENIOR HIGH FUTUREREADY TECH ED CLASSROOMS
Noting that many talk about workforce shortages in trades and manufacturing, Ms. Felch encourages companies to offer youth apprenticeships. “I believe it is the responsibility of businesses to encourage and support youth who are interested in what you do. It allows youth to truly understand what going into their chosen profession might be like.” While most of J&D’s youth apprentices stick with the field they chose for their apprenticeship, she does note that some apprentices discover that another career path is better suited for them. One of their apprentices also helped build a Habitat for Humanity home at D.C. Everest and realized he was more interested in home construction. “We fully supported his decision and actually helped him in his job search while still allowing him to work at J&D.”
Ms. Felch encourages students considering a youth apprenticeship to participate. “It is a great way to explore careers, better understand employers’ expectations and experience different work environments and cultures. Not only do you learn a skill, but you start to learn what you are looking for in a job. Do you want to work for a small company? A large company? Do you want to do the same thing every day or have variety?”
As for employers considering hiring youth apprentices, she concludes with this. “When you bring a youth apprentice into your business it gives you the opportunity to mentor someone into being the best employee. Not only do they learn how to be a great welder, etc., but if you do it right they learn how to be a great employee and hopefully they stick around after the youth apprenticeship is completed.”
To learn more about Youth Apprenticeship partnership opportunities at D.C.Everest contact:
Rose Matthiae, DCE Community Partnership Coordinator, rmatthiae@dce.k12.wi.us, 715.359.6561 Aaron Hoffman, DCE Career and Technical Education Coordinator, ahoffman@dce.k12.wi.us, 715.359-6561 ext. 4120
“IT IS A GREAT WAY TO EXPLORE CAREERS, BETTER UNDERSTAND EMPLOYERS’ EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT WORK ENVIRONMENTS AND CULTURES. NOT ONLY DO YOU LEARN A SKILL, BUT YOU START TO LEARN WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IN A JOB.” — LISA FELCH, J&D VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES
ext. 4250