GRCC WORKFORCE WEDNESDAY: Apprenticeship Program Helps Student Acquire an Education and a Career

GRCC Workforce Training programs provide in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. We are introducing students who are heading down an educational pathway and changing their lives by earning occupational certificates.

In the summer of 2018, Wrindy Hauser decided to move south from the Upper Peninsula.

“I moved to the big city for better job opportunities and I found that at Autocam Medical. I was hired as a machinist level 1 in September 2018,” she said.

After about a year, it was suggested that Hauser apply to the Autocam Apprenticeship program.

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INDUSTRY WEEK: Autocam Medical’s Apprenticeship Program Gives Students a Job and Pays 100% of Their College Tuition

Autocam Medical looked into the future, back in 2016, and saw there was a big problem it would need to face.

“If we didn’t start working on our talent pipeline, we were going to be in trouble,” says John Kennedy, IV, General Manager of Autocam Medical, a contract manufacturer of precision, surgical and medical components and devices based in Kentwood, Michigan. The company also has plants in Massachusetts, Tennessee, China and Brazil.

“We were looking at the age of the workforce and realized that due to retirement we would have a large number of employees all starting around the same time, so we decided we needed to create a pathway and pipeline for some of that knowledge sharing process,” Kennedy added.

Continue reading at Industry Week…

MIDWEST MANUFACTURING NEWS: Autocam Medical’s Apprenticeship Program Provides Students With the Best of Both Worlds

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program during a ceremony at the AMP Lab at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The event, recognizing the company’s fourth class of graduates, was kicked off with a few words of motivation and inspiration by John Kennedy, IV, General Manager of Autocam Medical, and Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC).

The year-round program requires students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks.

Continue reading at Midwest Manufacturing News…

MANUFACTURING NEWS: Autocam Medical Apprentice Program Aims To Ease CNC Machinist Shortage

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program during a ceremony at the AMP Lab at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The event, recognizing the company’s fourth class of graduates, was kicked off with a few words of motivation and inspiration by John Kennedy, IV, General Manager of Autocam Medical, and Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC).

Continue reading at Manufacturing News…

MD+DI: Autocam Medical Apprentices Win Global Mastercam Machining Competition

What does Thor’s hammer have to do with medical device manufacturing? Students who just finished a CNC machinist apprenticeship recently found out.

Autocam Medical, a contract manufacturer of components for surgical implants and instruments, has been training the next generation of medical device manufacturing professionals. The company recently presented its fourth class of machinist apprentices with certificates of completion for its CNC Machinist Apprentice Program. Eleven students were honored during a November 10th ceremony at the AMP Lab at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

During the program students were challenged to machine two intricate objects. Two students, Wrindy Hauser and Ethan Richey, machined a Thor’s hammer in the AMP Lab, which is where classes for the apprentice program are held. The students later won a first-place prize in Mastercam’s global Master of CAM Wildest Parts Machining Competition in the Teams Division.

Continue reading at MD+DI…

MIBIZ: Autocam Medical Joins Manufacturing Project Training Hundreds in Industry 4.0

Grand Rapids Community College and workforce development organization West Michigan Works! have launched a program aiming to make big strides in preparing participants for the future of manufacturing.

In early 2021, GRCC announced that it was a recipient of a $9.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to create the One Workforce for West Michigan Manufacturing Project. The school was just one of 19 organizations in the country to receive grant funds.

The program — which is being steered by a coalition of employers, workforce development organizations, educators and community groups — targets members of underserved populations and provides them with modern manufacturing skills training.

“About 80 to 90 percent of the training is hands-on,” said Dennis Triggs, project manager for One Workforce. “So, when they get out into the workforce, it’s not like an employer is hiring someone that just studied a lot of theory. They’re getting someone who has put practical time in, with hands-on training. They walk into a job with about six months of on-the-job training already.”

Continue reading at MiBiz…

MODERN MACHINE SHOP: Autocam Medical’s Earn-While-You-Learn Apprenticeship Program Addresses CNC Machinist Shortage

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program during a ceremony at the AMP Lab at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The year-round program is said to require students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks.

Apprentices are employed by Autocam Medical and maintain a full work schedule during the training period. In addition to CNC machinist certification, the coursework also covers the necessary schooling required by the Federal Department of Labor for students to receive a certified Journeyman card and puts them on the path to receive an associate degree.

Continue reading at Modern Machine Shop…

MIBIZ: Autocam Medical Remains Optimistic About Building Talent Pipeline

Last month, Autocam Medical Devices LLC graduated its fourth class of CNC machinist apprentices under a program that’s meant to lure young professionals to the skilled trades. John C. Kennedy, president and CEO of the contract manufacturer of medical devices, is using the program to grow his talent pipeline while the company is on the verge of a major expansion. Autocam Medical is in the process of building an additional 100,000-square-foot facility in Kentwood that will support 250 new jobs and roughly double the company’s workforce. Kennedy recently talked with MiBiz about building a talent pool amid an ongoing skilled trades shortage, as well as his leadership principles that helped guide the company through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continue reading at MiBiz…

WGVU: Autocam Medical Opportunities Pave the Way for Fulfilling Career

Autocam Medical was recently approached by WGVU to discuss their Apprenticeship Program and the other career opportunities that exist with the company.

Their year-round Apprenticeship Program requires students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks. Apprentices are employed by Autocam Medical, maintaining a full work schedule during the training period. In addition to CNC Machinist certification, the course of study also covers the necessary schooling required by the Federal Department of Labor for students to receive a certified Journeyman card and puts them on the path to receive an associate degree, earning 27 college credits.

“Our Apprenticeship Program is quite uncommon. In addition to the specialized training that our students receive, we pay for 100% of their college tuition and provide them with a full-time job while they are receiving training,” said Kristy White, HR Director for Autocam Medical. “Like all of our full-time employees, apprentices also receive a competitive salary, quarterly bonus incentives, a generous 401K match, and a premium-free health plan,” she added.

“Besides those interested in joining our Apprenticeship Program, we encourage anyone that’s seeking a rewarding career opportunity to consider applying at Autocam Medical,” she added. “We have continued to experience dramatic growth despite the pandemic, and we are expanding our footprint in West Michigan with a new plant in Kentwood. The new facility will create 250 jobs, and we will be increasing our hiring efforts throughout the coming year.”

Continue reading at WGVU…

GRCC TODAY: Autocam Medical Apprentices Earn While They Learn for Free

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program during a November 10th ceremony at the AMP Lab at Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The event, recognizing the company’s fourth class of graduates, was kicked off with a few words of motivation and inspiration by John Kennedy, IV, General Manager of Autocam Medical, and Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC).

The year-round program requires students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks. Apprentices are employed by Autocam Medical, maintaining a full work schedule during the training period. In addition to CNC Machinist certification, the course of study also covers the necessary schooling required by the Federal Department of Labor for students to receive a certified Journeyman card and puts them on the path to receive an associate degree, earning 27 college credits.

The Grand Rapids Community College instructor, Andy Beach, an industry veteran with over 20 years of relevant hands-on experience, emphasized the program’s benefits, “Autocam Medical’s Apprentice Program is a win-win; it’s a win for the skilled trades industry and a win for the students,” says Beach. “The students gain skills that put them on a career path with unlimited opportunity, and it helps

Continue reading at GRCC Today…

NEWSBREAK: Autocam Medical Apprenticeship Program Produces High-Caliber Machinists

The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) Lab has churned out another group of CNC machinists from its apprenticeship program.

Kentwood-based Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, said Dec. 3 it presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their computer numerical control (CNC) machinist apprentice program during a Nov. 10 ceremony at the AMP Lab @ Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The event, recognizing the company’s fourth class of graduates, included a few words of motivation and inspiration by John Kennedy IV, general manager of Autocam Medical, and Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College.

The year-round program requires students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks. Apprentices are employed by Autocam Medical, maintaining a full work schedule during the training period. In addition to CNC machinist certification, the course of study also covers the necessary schooling required by the U.S. Department of Labor for students to receive a certified journeyman card and puts them on the path to receive an associate degree, earning 27 college credits.

Continue reading at Newsbreak…

GRCC TODAY: Graduation Ceremony at the AMP Lab Honors Autocam Medical Apprentices

The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) Lab has churned out another group of CNC machinists from its apprenticeship program.

Kentwood-based Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, said Dec. 3 it presented 11 students with certificates of completion for their computer numerical control (CNC) machinist apprentice program during a Nov. 10 ceremony at the AMP Lab @ Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids.

The event, recognizing the company’s fourth class of graduates, included a few words of motivation and inspiration by John Kennedy IV, general manager of Autocam Medical, and Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College.

The year-round program requires students to complete over 700 hours of classroom instruction over a period of 90 weeks. Apprentices are employed by Autocam Medical, maintaining a full work schedule during the training period. In addition to CNC machinist certification, the course of study also covers the necessary schooling required by the U.S. Department of Labor for students to receive a certified journeyman card and puts them on the path to receive an associate degree, earning 27 college credits.

Continue reading at GRCC Today…