Training Program Focuses on Advanced Manufacturing

The Ivy Tech Southwest Region has three campuses

Ivy Tech Community College Southwest has announced a new program that aims to educate and prepare students for careers in the advanced manufacturing industry. The 11-week Skill UP Indiana program is based on the New Hoosier Apprenticeship Model, which features a combination of training, education, career counseling, group activities, and on-the-job learning.

Ivy Tech says students will be paid $12.50 per hour during the program, which includes five weeks of class time totaling 40 hours per week. Students will be trained on soft skills, receive OSHA 10-hour general industry certification and Southwest Indiana Manufacturing Training, also known as Manufacturing Skills Standards Certification.

The program will also allow students to work for six weeks at a manufacturing company in the area. Ivy Tech Southwest Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel says the program seeks to address the skills gap in the advanced manufacturing sector.

"We are excited to spearhead this initiative that can potentially change the way employers hire in the future," said Weinzapfel. "Giving potential employees the opportunity to learn skills and habits essential to the manufacturing workforce will hopefully have a positive hiring, retention, and advancement impact for local business and industry."

Classes begin March 6 and the program will culminate with a recruitment event conducted by Southwest Indiana Workforce Coalition companies and Ivy Tech. The SWIWC includes a number of partners such as Ivy Tech Southwest, Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana, Koch Enterprises, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, WorkOne Southwest, Wabash Plastics and Berry Plastics.

The program was established after Indiana Department of Workforce Development awarded the SWIWC a more than $660,000 Skill UP Indiana! grant in an effort to provide job skills training and education.