STC

Archive

STC Quicklinks

Available Archives

• May2007
• April 2007
• February/March 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005

First Tool & Die Apprenticeship Students Graduate From STC

The first seven students in STC’s Tool & Die Apprenticeship Program are ready to graduate from STC and continue their careers. Four years ago, the students started the program at STC, during which they have had on the job training and related instruction, including courses in blueprint reading, electrical wiring, computer-assisted drafting and design, metallurgy welding, forklift operation, plastics and hazardous chemicals control.
     

“Support for the program comes from South Texas Manufacturers Association located in McAllen. This Association saw the need for an apprenticeship program with local colleges because of a lack of skilled workers in the Rio Grande Valley, which hindered companies from starting up operations in the area,” said Claudio Guerra, Project Training Specialist for STC’s Partnership for Workforce Training. “We are so thankful to STMA for working with not only STC, but other colleges in the area like Texas State Technical College, The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, to make this program a reality. We are all graduating well trained students that can not only work in related businesses, but have the knowledge and experience to manage them down the road.”

  
Tool & Die Apprenticeship graduates (from left) Arnold Sanchez, Enrique Vasquez, Juan Gonzalez and Gilroy Martinez from G.E. Engine Services
 

Participants for the program are required to work at a company that is an STMA member and the apprentice is then sponsored by the company to attend the course series at STC. Throughout the course of the four year program the apprentice receives raise incentives and upon completion, receives a Journeyman’s certificate in their designated area. This certificate is nationally recognized by the tool and die industry.

“I am proud to be finishing up my certification this month,” said Juan Gonzalez, program graduate. “I feel like I have really mastered crucial skills to help me at my job and that will ultimately make me a value to my employer. I don’t believe this is the end of my education though. There is always something new to learn down the line and I hope that I can continue to stay at the cutting edge with the help of STC and STMA.”

“The skills the students are learning are crucial for not only for day to day work, but also for day to day management and safety. These are not skills you can learn by watching them or reading about on the Internet. You need first hand experience and guidance to master them,” said Mike Willis for STMA. “We have more than 10 companies participating in this program and we are all happy to contribute to the expansion of a skilled workforce that will help not only current STMA members, but prove to others looking at opening operations in the Valley that we have the labor they need to succeed here.”

For more information about the program, contact Claudio Guerra at 956-872-6168 or claudiog@southtexascollege.edu. For general information about STC, please visit www.southtexascollege.edu.

###
 

 

Last Updated June 20, 2007