WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Missouri State University-West Plains recently hosted a graduation event for nine students who participated in the first registered apprenticeship program at the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology in West Plains.
Funded through the Missouri Registered Apprenticeship Program from the Missouri Office of Workforce Development, the program brought together a coalition at GOCAT that included Missouri State-West Plains, the South Central Workforce Investment Board, the Missouri Registered Apprenticeship Program, the U.S. Department of Labor and two local companies.
The apprentices completed one of three specific certificate programs on Sept. 6: Advanced Industrial Maintenance, Advanced Manufacturing and Manufacturing Management.
The apprenticeship program consists of related academic instruction and on-the-job training with mentors at each of the designated companies. The apprentices trained in various areas of maintenance, manufacturing and management, and were required to meet competencies in order to gain credentials from the U.S. Department of Labor.
All candidates were selected through a pre-screening and interview process by the participating companies:
- Jasper Engines and Transmissions, sponsoring Zach Gregory, Bucyrus, and Harley Curtis, Birch Tree
- Leonardo-DRS, sponsoring Dustin Howell, Thayer; Daniel Truman, Koshkonong; and Shelby Barton, Jennifer Amyx, Jackie Callahan, Gary Drown and Jodie Pounders, all of West Plains
The partnering companies provided the work experience to ensure professional skills while Missouri State-West Plains provided classroom training.
For information on how to sponsor an apprenticeship contact Barton at 417-255-7784 or sheilabarton@missouristate.edu, or Roy Crouch, Missouri State-West Plains education/outreach specialist at GOCAT, at 417-255-7785.
