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Palmetto Synthetics
Kingstree, SC
Specialty Thermoplastic Fiber Manufacturing
Roll Thread Operator (Youth), Machine Operator, Maintenance Mechanic, Industrial Manufacturing Technician, Laboratory Technician, Industrial Housekeeping, Supervisory Leadership
Williamsburg Technical College, Williamsburg County School District, and Williamsburg County Career and Technology Education for the job related education
In 2016 Palmetto Synthetics registered their first apprenticeship program and has continued to add apprenticeship opportunities that meet the needs of their workforce.
Fred Morris, Palmetto Synthetics Training Manager/Mentor
"What surprised me most about the youth apprentices was their level of maturity. To my surprise, they stepped up, took the challenge, and did an exceptional job. We were at one of the apprenticeship events in Hemingway where we met with a class. Darius was one that came out of that class. He just went from one level to the next. Maturity is one of those soft skills that we often talk about that's necessary to succeed.
"The apprenticeship process was so user friendly. It took all of the guesswork out of it and Apprenticeship Carolina actually did a lot of the work for us; paperwork was minimized. It was just a very easy experience.
"This is a big deal and it is proof that we can provide opportunities for young people that are interested in joining the workforce right out of school. We think it's awesome to see a community working together: teachers and counselors and everybody coming on board to try to work out our local needs. Businesses need team members, people need jobs. The answer to the problems that we're facing is right here. We've got the answer."
Darius Morris, Former Youth Apprentice Current Adult Apprentice
"Youth apprenticeship was a great opportunity for me because it helped me to become a responsible young man in a workforce world. It also allowed me to learn good work ethics such as positivity, teamwork, professionalism.
"Being able to take what you're learning in class and directly apply it to something rather than having to wait two years or four years to have that actual hands-on experience is very impactful. People learn differently, I think that being able to take what you learn and apply it to the job site is the best way to retain and enhance your skill set for that specific industry or job.
"I have little to no student loan. It's a big thing that many people don't think about. The financial impact of being able to save your money as you go through this journey, I think that's something that our high school students should really hone in on when making that big decision about what to do after high school.
"I would tell high school students it's a great opportunity for them to get a head start on life while still in school."
Left to right: Darius Morris and Fred Morris
