Glen Raven Custom Fabrics establishes first nationally-credentialed youth apprenticeship program in Anderson County
October 21, 2015
ANDERSON, SC – Apprenticeship Carolina, an integral part of the SC Technical College System, announced Tuesday that Glen Raven Custom Fabrics established a registered youth apprenticeship program for Machine Operators.
This represents the first youth apprenticeship program in Anderson County.
“Glen Raven values its employees. They are our greatest asset,” said Dennis Jackson, human resources director for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics.
“Maintaining a qualified workforce is essential. As a company, we are always looking for ways to grow our workforce pipeline, and this youth apprenticeship program is a perfect tool to allow us to do that. At the same time, it provides us the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the education of our employees. Glen Raven will continue to offer tuition reimbursement to these students after graduation.”
An apprenticeship is a time-tested method of employee development that combines supervised on-the-job learning and job-related education. A program “registered” with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) shows an employer’s visible commitment to developing a high-quality workforce that meets nationally recognized training standards. Registered apprenticeship programs also enable employees to receive incremental wage increases as they demonstrate new competencies throughout the training program. The youth apprenticeship program at Glen Raven Custom Fabrics will combine on-the-job learning and job-related education through local high schools in the area of Mechatronics. Initially, the program will sponsor four youth apprentices.
Since its inception in 2007, Apprenticeship Carolina has played a key role in growing apprenticeship participation across the state. The number of participating organizations has increased from 90 to just over 760, and the number of apprentices has grown from 777 to almost 13,700. Youth apprenticeship programs have also increased. Currently, 23 counties have a registered youth apprenticeship program and there are nearly 90 youth programs across the state.
“Our growth strategy sets us apart,” said Carla Whitlock, senior consultant for Apprenticeship Carolina. “We made a conscious decision to break down the traditional barriers to registered apprenticeship. Programs like Glen Raven’s show that we’re redefining a centuries old concept and making it something that has real value for business and industry in South Carolina.”
About Apprenticeship Carolina
Apprenticeship Carolina™ is an integral part of the SC Technical College System that works to ensure all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. These services are available to South Carolina employers free of charge. Interested employers are encouraged to contact Apprenticeship Carolina™ at (803) 896-5287 or to visit www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com.
