Rather than develop an apprenticeship program in-house, some machine tool builders select to train workers with an already established program. One such offering is the Chicago-based Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training Apprenticeship Program, which is detailed in the accompanying video.
The ICATT Apprenticeship Program has machine builders GF Machining Solutions LLC, Lincolnshire, Illinois; Engis Corp., Wheeling, Illinois; and Hermle USA Inc., Franklin, Wisconsin, in its network of more than 60 participating manufacturers in five states. In addition, 14 colleges are in the ICATT network, noted Program Director Virginia Attaway Rounds.
Chicago-based German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Inc. founded the program, but a manufacturer doesn’t have to be a member of that organization to participate, Rounds said.
“The ICATT Apprenticeship Program is available to any employer that needs to train their skilled workforce and the profiles we assist with,” she added. “Because we were able to leverage the experience of thousands and thousands of German employers and manufacturers when creating the program, we are able to gather that information and not have to reinvent the wheel on what a training plan could look like.”
