TESTIMONIALS
VIDEOS
Horsehead Recycling establishes apprenticeships at its Barnwell, SC site
CONSTRUCTION/TRADITIONAL TRADES
Gene’s Heating and Air
“The partnership with the technical college allows me to concentrate on teaching the apprentice how to do the job while knowing the apprentice is getting the technical knowledge and instruction at the college. As a small business owner, the tax credit was a huge benefit.” Said Archie Pierson, owner of Gene’s Heating and Air
Gene Love
“We are pleased to be able to participate in the apprenticeship program because we are committed to helping young people learn and develop fulfilling careers in the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industries.” said David Estes, service coach with Gene Love Plumbing, Air, Electric.
Walker White
“Walker White is committed to providing superior craftsmanship throughout each and every one of our projects and this apprenticeship program fits perfectly with what we are trying to achieve” said Bob White, secretary and treasurer for Walker White, Inc. “The apprenticeship program is a real win-win providing us the opportunity to develop our plumbing staff while at the same time enhancing the overall service we provide our customers.”
ENERGY/UTILITIES
Midlands Biofuel
“This program is a Win-Win-Win. It helps small companies like ours to create new jobs, develop a strong base from which to grow, and provide unique opportunities to our deserving Veterans and South Carolinians,” said “Bio-Joe” Renwick, co-owner and process engineer
Spartanburg Water
“Working with Apprenticeship Carolina helped us take a program we’d already established and give it a better framework, one that helps the water operator learn the program and apply the skills at the same time,” said Sue Schneider, Spartanburg Water General Manager. “That’s what makes it very valuable. They get the combined training as they go through their workday. We have a great deal of pride in our operation, and having this national accreditation reinforces the fact that our operators can compete with any in the country when it comes to serving our public in the best, safest manner.”
HEALTHCARE
Agape Senior
"Agape Senior is pleased to be a part of Apprenticeship Carolina's program for Certified Nursing Assistants. As South Carolina's population ages and with the influx of retirees into our state, it is vitally important that our caregivers be well trained and up-to-date on all aspects of patient care. We hope that this program will become a model for other geriatric health-care providers in the state and that Agape will lead the effort to improve direct patient care in long-term care facilities," said Agape Senior of the Pee Dee & Grand Strand’s regional president James C. Williamson, Ph.D.
Carriage Hills Living Center
Robby Bowles, Executive Director of Carriage Hills Living Center, sees the Apprenticeship Program “as a perfect fit as we continue to search for progressive ways to improve the training we offer for our caregivers with the goal of delivering the best possible care for the patients we serve”. In an independent third party survey conducted earlier this year team members were unanimous in rating Carriage Hills as the place for someone to recuperate post hospitalization. “I feel we will have a great deal to share and learn as we continue on our mission of excellence in service and healthcare. I firmly believe that the new Apprenticeship Program will be a win-win situation. We will have the advantage of helping to train the future caregivers coming through this program and eventually entering our community’s workforce. This program will allow us to continue to provide even better care for our patients and our employees.”
Hampton Regional
“The benefits of this apprenticeship program for Hampton Regional are two-fold. One, we will see improved productivity and enhanced quality, which is good. But, two, we will experience higher morale, pride and motivation among our workforce, which is even better,” said Mary Ann Westerdorf, manager of Community Relations at Hampton Regional Medical Center. “The apprenticeship program will give us the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our staff as well as to our customers continuing our mission of excellence. Every person. Every time.”
Lakes at Litchfield
"The Lakes at Litchfield is committed to providing a way for people to live longer, live independently, live safely, and live a better life. Well-trained caregivers who are well-informed on all aspects of patient care allow us to better achieve our core mission," said Meg Tracey-Robinson, RN director of Assisted Living at The Lakes at Litchfield. “The apprenticeship program also provides us a wonderful opportunity to grow our staff internally.”
NHC Healthcare Sumter
“When I first heard about the apprenticeship program, I was immediately interested. Apprenticeship Carolina™ helped with the development of the plan and with tools to implement it. We have always been dedicated to training, but the apprenticeship program has helped us formalize everything in one nice package.” Said Administrator Jeanie Crotts
Pepper Hills Nursing Center
“Our residents depend on our caregivers to bring them the highest level of potential possible. It is our role as an organization to invest in those caregivers providing them the skills and certifications they need to be successful. A federally-recognized apprenticeship program made sense for us and Apprenticeship Carolina™ helped us navigate quickly and easily through the registration processes.” said administrator P. Scott Jones.
Right At Home
“Right at Home is dedicated to achieving even higher levels of customer satisfaction and our apprenticeship programs clearly demonstrate this commitment. The level of quality customer focused care we provide is directly correlated to the superior employee training Right at Home offers its employees. Apprenticeship gives us one more tool to ensure that our caregivers are well trained and up-to-date on all aspects of patient care,” said Kathy Crist, owner of Right at Home of the CSRA. “Right at Home as well as our caregivers and our clients are very fortunate to be able to benefit from the collaborative efforts of Apprenticeship Carolina™, Aiken Technical College and Lower Savannah Council of Governments.”
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
“Apprenticeship programs are a great way for us to grow our own experts in the information technology field. We are pleased to partner with Apprenticeship Carolina and Midlands Technical College in a training program that will help BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina to meet its need for skilled workers," said Garcia Tate, training manager for information systems. " As a not only one of the state’s largest employers but also one who continually earns honors as a top employer, we recognize the need to build talent among our dedicated employees and are firmly committed to creating a culture of innovation and continuous improvement."
CSC
"We are pleased to partner with the state of South Carolina in a training program that will enable CSC to meet its need for skilled workers," said Gary Adams, Managing Director of CSC’s South Carolina Onshore Delivery Center. "We plan to grow by approximately 300 jobs over the next 12 months in the Blythewood area. As a leader in the IT sector, we recognize the need to build talent and are firmly committed to evaluating more training programs in association with the state."
MANUFACTURING
BP Cooper River
“BP is strongly committed to supporting and developing our people as well as cultivating a culture of continuous improvement. These apprenticeship programs help us progress on both fronts,” said Kurt Johnson, operations and training superintendent for BP’s Cooper River Facility. “The apprenticeship programs provide us the opportunity to develop our employees while at the same time enhancing the overall skill level of our facility.”
“On both a national level and, more importantly, on a local level at the Cooper River Facility, BP is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen and a great neighbor to the community. Our apprenticeship programs allow us to do just this. What a wonderful way to demonstrate our commitment to the community by investing in its people—our employees.” commented Darleen Pope, human resources manager at BP’s Cooper River Facility.
Constantia Hueck Foils
“Innovation is one of the primary keys to success in our industry. But innovation goes beyond just product development. We must continually look for innovative ways to invest in our resources that will ultimately benefit our customer,” said George N. Thibeault, Jr., president of Constantia Hueck Foils. “Our machine operator apprenticeship program at the Blythewood facility will be the first of its kind in North America for our company. It is providing us an opportunity to grow the skills of our employees and, in turn, enhancing the customer’s experience with Constantia Hueck Foils.”
DC Coil
“Apprenticeship Carolina™ fits with our overall commitment to training. It allows us to spend more time training, employees get what they need to be successful, and it’s a good fit for our ‘pay for skills’ program. This is an investment in our people and our company. We are working with springs that can weigh up to 1000 pounds and the plant is very hot. We feel that having well trained employees enables us to cross train and meet customers’ needs while maintaining quality and safety.” According to Rick Eitel, Manufacturing Manager with DC Coil.
Gestamp formerly LSP
“Apprenticeship programs are very big in Europe and when faced with a shortage of qualified workers for maintenance we decided to apply this approach to our facility here in America. We wanted to build a long term relationship with our employees. I started my career 22 years ago with our parent company as a tool and die apprentice and now I manage all operations worldwide. Apprenticeships provide a wonderful opportunity for our employees. I’m confident that this program will offer major benefits for the area and the company. LSP Automotive is more than glad to participate in this investment in our people.” said Oliver Wackenhut, CEO of LSP Automotive.
“Apprenticeships have a long history in our parent company.” said Helmut Hetzenecker, apprenticeship training manager. “Our CEO is a prime example of the career paths apprenticeships can provide. Our goal is to train our employees and provide not only a great basis as a start but also the opportunity to grow. My hope is that our current apprentices will later be leaders at LSP.”
Goodrich Delavan
“Quality and expertise play an important role in the design and manufacture of Delavan products. What better way to ensure that quality and build that expertise internally than through an apprenticeship program?” said Dale Hutto, controller and interim plant manager at Goodrich Delavan. “This apprenticeship program gives us the opportunity to invest in and grow our own workforce.”
Integral Solutions
“We work in a very competitive environment, and our employees are what separate us from our competition. We believe that utilizing the apprenticeship model of training will allow our already skilled workforce to take Integral Solutions to an even higher level,” said Peter Brown, President and Owner.
Isola Group
“We’re excited about our Registered Apprenticeship program: it’s good for the company and the community,” said Dwight Shelato, Isola Plant Manager.
Kronotex
Kronotex Laminate Flooring is proud to lead the way in Barnwell County, partnering with Apprenticeship Carolina™, Denmark Technical College and the US Department of Labor in providing apprenticeship training for our maintenance staff. The agency personnel that were involved in the process made it very easy for Kronotex to establish the program,” said Jeff Martin, human resources manager at Kronotex.
Pilgrim’s Pride
“The curriculum developed by Central Carolina gave us just what we needed to ensure our technicians understand the “why” behind the “what” that they do each day on-the-job,” Dennis Gordon, Plant Manager of Pilgrim’s Pride, said during the event.
Prysmian
“The process used at Prysmian is truly revolutionary – this constant focus on innovation is what separates us from our competitors. We are a leader in the industry and in order to remain a leader we must be innovative in all aspects of the organization from our processes to our people. Apprenticeship is a perfect fit,” said Steve Moize, Prysmian’s human resources consultant. “Our people are ultimately the key to our success. We need a top-notch staff and the apprenticeship program has provided us the structure we needed to successfully ratchet up our skill level and effectively cross train our employees added Arlan Brady, Prysmian’s Director of Operations.
SC Metal Products
“The apprenticeship program partnership enhances our current training program and provides another opportunity for our associates to excel in their chosen professions. SC Metal Product’s goal is to prepare our workforce through skill development and practical on-the-job experiences which allows us to remain competitive in our industry and maintain jobs in South Carolina,” said Tony Marchman, operations manager for the Aiken facility.
US Engine Valve
“This mechatronics apprenticeship program is an investment in our greatest asset – our people. As we strive for excellence as a company in all that we do, apprenticeship is a perfect fit,” said Mary Ann Craft, manager of Human Resources at US Engine Valve. “The apprenticeship program will provide us the opportunity to internally grow our own experts in the field of mechatronics and prepare our organization to meet future demands.”
Weylchem
“Apprenticeship Carolina™’s ability to bring all the different workforce resources to the table, including Central Carolina Technical College and the Workforce Investment Board, has undoubtedly played a key role in the success of our program,” said Brad Branham, Manager, Human Resources and Public Relations for WeylChem.
“The driving force behind our apprenticeship program here at WeylChem was the need for a better educated workforce,” said Andreas Maier, vice president of operations for WeylChem. “The job specific training and job shadowing have helped us remain competitive internationally in a very tough economy. We are experiencing faster troubleshooting, improved problem solving and overall improved work skills among our chemical operator apprentices.”
TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
G&P Trucking
“Continuous improvement is the cornerstone of our operations at G&P Trucking. We are constantly looking for ways to enhance key measures, such as quality, safety and customer service,” said John Billingsley, director of safety at G&P Trucking. “Apprenticeship is a natural fit providing us a means to further develop the skills of our dedicated, hard-working team. At the end of the day, our people set us apart from our competition and the apprenticeship program lets us build on that competitive advantage.”
Thermo King
“The service we provide our customers defines who we are as a company,” said Richie McQueeney, president of Thermo King Columbia, Inc. “Through the apprenticeship program, we are developing our workforce – enhancing their ability to diagnose, troubleshoot and solve problems – to ensure that we are giving our customers the best service possible.”
TOURISM AND CREATIVE SERVICES
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
“The Inn sees this apprenticeship program as a critical component of our long-term success. As an upscale resort serving a market of economically high-end travelers who have high expectations, it is essential the physical assets remain in near perfect working order to ensure the comfort and safety of our guests. This HVAC apprenticeship program provides an opportunity to not only achieve this mission but invest in our employees providing them development opportunities and a clear career path with our organization. It’s a win-win for our organization and the trainees,” said Margaret Johnson, human resources director with The Inn at Palmetto Bluff.
