NEW HAVEN, Conn. — It’s a five week program that teaches the fundamental skills of manufacturing. Skill Up for Manufacturing was in the middle of a class when the COVID-19 pandemic stalled its progress.
“This class of 17 actually started in March, and then like everything else, had to quickly shut down,” said Ann Harrison, Communications Director for Workforce Alliance.
Once Connecticut started the reopening process, Skill Up started again, too. It’s the first class to come back to Gateway Community College in New Haven with a new partnership with Eli Whitney Technical High School.
“It allows the class to come back and practice safe social distancing because it’s a much bigger space, and also get much more hands-on lab time in doing so,” said Harrison.
Everyone wears face masks whether they are in the lab getting that hands-on training or in the regular classroom. The students also supplement their learning with online programs. Upon graduation, they will have 250 pre-apprenticeship hours as well as OSHA and Six Sigma certifications. They’ll be ready to fill the essential manufacturing jobs in Connecticut that never stopped through this pandemic.
“At any given time, there’s thousands of jobs, whether they’re entry level or much higher level that are open, and not just people on the shop floor. You know, you can work in manufacturing and work in accounting. You can work in manufacturing and work in marketing. It’s the sector as a whole that’s so vital to Connecticut,” said Harrison.
There will be a virtual job fair on Thursday, July 30 for the Skill Up graduates. Employers can email Steve Johnson at sjohnson@workforcealliance.biz to participate.
Here is a link to Skill Up for Employers https://www.workforcealliance.biz/skillup/employers/
For more information on Skill Up for Manufacturing, visit https://www.workforcealliance.biz/skillup/