Technical Success

TECHNICAL SUCCESS

Teamwork ensures apprenticeship program part of local education

by: Katie Anderson

When it comes to improving the workforce, the key to success often requires thinking outside the box. And one apprenticeship program gaining steam in Coweta County proves it pays to do your homework and develop new approaches to education.

The Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training program (GA CATT) is a source of hometown pride, and rightfully so. It was created in response to a need for skilled labor — specifically, industrial mechanics, electricians and machinists. Coweta County industries worked with a team of local and state partners to fill a skills gap through the formal apprenticeship program, which was modeled after a successful German strategy.

The program is offered to high school sophomores, who can complete their education by combining traditional high school classes, college-level technical courses, and paid apprenticeship modules. In turn, participating businesses potentially are training future employees.

Student apprentices graduate with a high school diploma, college certifications toward an associate degree, and an internationally recognized apprentice certificate.

In 2015, the program’s steering committee worked to get support for Senate Bill 2, a bill that gave school systems the ability to award a high school diploma to students who dually enroll in specific high school and college classes. The pilot program began in Coweta in 2016, and the first group of apprentices will graduate this spring.

“In 2019, CEC and the Coweta GA CATT team will begin its recruiting for a next ‘cohort’ to participate in the Advanced Manufacturing Technician (Industrial Mechanic) Apprenticeship with approximately nine companies expected to be involved,” said Mark Whitlock, CEO of the Central Educational Center. “We expect the companies, in total, will want nine new apprentices to start that threeyear program during their sophomore year in high school.”

MAKING IT HAPPEN

The program’s steering committee included Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, the German American Chamber of Commerce, the Technical CollegeSystem of Georgia, CEC, the Coweta County School System, West Georgia Technical College, an industry consortium (Grenzebach, E.G.O., Yamaha, Kason,Yokogawa, Winpak, Kawasaki, and Groov-Pin), the Coweta County Development Authority, and Georgia Tech’s Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Coweta's third class of apprentices at the Georgia State Capitol during the signing ceremony. Left to right: Mark Whitclok, - CEC, Mike Cruise - WINPAK, Michalewicz - Hitachi, Lt. Gov Casey Cagle, Bill Zeller - Kason, John Fluker - Grenzebach, David Keller, E.G.O.

President of E.G.O. North America David Keller was instrumental in bringing the program to fruition. He sees a bright future for participating students and for CATT.

“We have six students who will graduate from high school in May but will complete the third and final year of their apprenticeship in August,” he said. All the students are working toward completion of the program and on the opportunity to enter the workforce. All will receive an offer of employment from their host company or will receive help in securing employment.

“My greatest reward has been working with the students, the mentors, the educators, the business leaders, and the political leaders of Georgia to help in some small way to change how we educate our youth for the future,” Keller added.

David Keller, President of E.G.O. North America

Photo Credit: Keith Brazie, PorkPie Pictures

The Movers & Shakers

Q&A with David Keller, President of E.G.O. North America

Q: The need for skilled labor, specifically for industrial mechanics, electricians and machinists, resulted in what is now the GA CATT program. Where did you start in order to bring this idea to fruition, and how did Coweta County become the testing ground?

A: For me, this program started with a phone call from Martin Pleyer, from Grenzebach, asking if I would like to work with him on a formal German apprenticeship system. Prior to this, several years of work had already occurred, including legislation to provide a foundation for the workbased learning this program stands upon. This endeavor has involved a lot of agencies working together, but central in this has been the Central Educational Center, the German American Chamber of Commerce and the office of the Lt. Governor working hand in hand with industry. This program is so far-reaching that no one alone could make this work. What has been unique is that Coweta has long been the test bed for new ideas in education. The CEC is the first college and career academy in the state of Georgia and to this day is still the school that serves as the model for new programs across the state.

Q: Several members of the Newnan- Coweta Chamber, including E.G.O., were on the steering committee. How has the Newnan-Coweta Chamber impacted the success of the program, and how has it helped you in your leadership role?

A: The Newnan-Coweta Chamber has provided a great deal of support for this program. Key to this has been marketing. No idea, big or small, can take root if no one knows about it. The Chamber has been instrumental in helping market this program within both the schools and the local manufacturing community.

Q: How did the German American Chamber of Commerce assist with GA CATT?

A: The German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) is the key oversight of the overall program. It has provided guidance on curriculum, training of mentors for the students, preparation for the exam process and general technical, administrative, and quality control support. From the first meeting until today, the GACC has rapidly expanded its support and resources to ensure we can sustain and grow the program. It has been there to answer questions and point us down the correct path. Starting first with the president of the GACC, Stefanie Ziska — she has brought in Nicole Heimann to drive apprenticeship development. Nicole, in turn, is building a core support team.

Q: For the program to be effective, it had to include participating businesses. How were you and Grenzebach’s Martin Pleyer able to get all the moving parts working together?

A: Clearly not alone. This program has had many people involved. The office of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle has been a key advocate and driver through Irene Munn. Lt. Governor Cagle and Irene Munn have championed this program every step of the way and were the force behind the legislative changes that made this program possible. Also, a team of personnel from the Technical College System has worked at curriculum development to create certificate and degree programs to model the German training program. Of course, as already mentioned, the GACC, through Nicole Heimann, has been a key player. Larry Alford, from Georgia Tech’s GaMEP, has been the person bringing together industry and educators. He also has brought us the resources of Georgia Tech’s safety programs dealing with youth. Within Coweta, the CEC, through Mark Whitlock and Steve Humphries, has been front in center in providing leadership.

The CEC has hosted this program, worked tirelessly to promote, recruit, monitor, and train these students. West Georgia Technical College, led primarily by Steve Cromer, has been supportive to the point of even going to Germany to see how the program can work. Throughout the ongoing development of this program, WGTC has stood as the technical college partner to provide much of the core instructional programs to our students. Of course, education in Coweta has benefited from the best superintendent in Georgia in Steve Barker. His support has provided us with the opportunity to work closely with guidance counselors to search out and find strong student candidates for this program. The Coweta County Economic Development Authority, through Amanda Fields, has been instrumental in support to include funding assistance with tools and other program necessities. Their support and promotion has improved our level of recognition. As noted, this is not the effort of any one person, but the bringing together of many essential pieces.

CEC, Toyota of Newnan follow suit

In the wake of the success of the Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (GA CATT) program, Toyota of Newnan and Central Educational Center (CEC) have created their own “hybrid” apprenticeship partnership.

CEC CEO Mark Whitlock helped create the program and praises Toyota leadership for the project’s success.

“The Toyota program was ramped up with less lead time, which is a great credit to Toyota,” Whitlock said. “While we had worked with many groups to develop policy and other infrastructure needed for GA CATT, the Toyota program involved another occupational area of the curriculum that had to be translated into English, then compared against current Technical College curriculum.

“Such work involved collaboration among many players, including Toyota and other dealers, the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Technical College, etc.,” Whitlock added. Once Toyota and other dealers made the final review and sign-off, then West Georgia Tech had to implement those changes in scope and sequence. In short, a project that really needed two years was accomplished in one year because of great collaboration among all those involved.”

The Toyota program is comparable to GA CATT but is shorter and more like an internship, with the potential to turn into long-term employment in the future. Toyota was unique in its utilization of the CEC Work-Based Learning Program to help generate an employee (and former participant in Work-Based Learning) who has assisted in mentoring the apprentice.

Mark Feldman, service manager and student mentor for Toyota of Newnan, says that helping these young people advance through their career path has been amazing.

“Currently, I have 4 employees who have gone through the program and one of them is still currently in high school. The benefit to having these employees is that they fill a void in our service department by coming in when they are finished with school and they can help us get customers’ vehicles finished quicker. It is impossible to hire a Master Technician off the street. They have to be cultivated and if they are treated properly they will be employees for life. That is the main goal of using the program — attract and cultivate quality employees that will want to work with us for a very long time.”

The Toyota hybrid apprentice program is a win-win situation for Toyota and for the student. Whitlock looks forward to continuing the CEC/Toyota partnership in 2019.

“The Toyota apprentice/intern program becomes, for us, a model that can lead to additional Toyota apprentices/interns and can lead to the participation of other dealers in our community,” Whitlock said.