Aeromet Industries has been involved in training apprentices with the Valparaiso Area Apprenticeship Association Council (VAAAC) since 1977.  Most of our employees have been through the program.  Many have moved up from being apprentices to being Skilled Craftsman, CAM Programmers, Engineers, Estimators, and Supervisors.

What does the future hold for our graduates and how do Apprenticeships like ours help?

• Manufacturers in the United States have hired more than 850,000 additional workers since the recession ended.
• While total employment in the sector remains 10 percent below its pre-recessionary levels, the positive growth in the workforce stands as a welcome contrast to the declines in the years beforehand.
• Manufacturers added roughly 18,800 workers per month on average in 2014 and with an average of 29,000 from October through January 2015.
• Today, there are 12.3 million workers in the manufacturing sector.
• It is expected to grow to at least 12.6 million by the end of 2016.
• The Manufacturing sector could generate between 600,000 and 1.2 million additional jobs by 2020.
• Beyond these numbers, there is a growing sense that the United States has become a more attractive location for manufacturing, with more manufacturers choosing to make investments here that might have gone overseas in previous years.
• US manufacturers will have competitive gains due to:
  • Increases in quality and productivity
  • Advantages on the energy front.

Manufacturing is central to our lives and to our country.

• National Association of Manufacturers or (NAM) reports that for every 100 jobs in a manufacturing facility, an additional 250 jobs in other sectors are created.
• According to the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), "No sector generates more economic activity, across society, than manufacturing."

Manufacturing has made a come-back, growing and looking to hire qualified people.  However, this industry is looking for individuals with craftsman skills.  A recent survey of Americans showed that

• More than 3/4 of Americans believe that manufacturing jobs are important and an investment should be made in developing more of a manufacturing base.
• Over half of the respondents believe the manufacturing industry provides careers that are interesting and rewarding.
• A similar percentage believes a career in the manufacturing industry provides a good income relative to other industries.

However?

• Only about one in three parents would encourage their children to pursue a career in manufacturing.
• They are concerned that manufacturing jobs are the first to be moved offshore thus they feel that manufacturing jobs lack stability.
• Manufacturing ranked 5th out of seven industries as Americans' choice for a career today.
• It Ranked LAST as a choice for the generation Y respondents, between the ages of 19 and 33

Challenges?

• On one hand Americans believe manufacturing to be an interesting career, offering good income, yet people are not choosing it as a profession.
• Young workers do not view manufacturing as an attractive option.
• Employers have a difficult time finding skilled craftsman.

That's where VAAAC comes in.

VAAAC helps to grow the talent that employers feel is lacking in the trades.  -The Apprenticeship counsel has been educating Machinists, Millwrights, Welders, and Machine operators for more than 40 years.

-We currently have close to 100 students representing about 35 local company sponsors.

-Each student is required to work 8000 hours hands on at their sponsors' facility while going to school approximately 700 hours within a 4 year program.

-Often the sponsors cover the costs of the schooling while the student generates a paycheck.  This allows the student to graduate the program without being in debt to student loans.

-The journeyman certificate is recognized by employers.  It's a document issued by the Indiana Department of Labor that identifies you as having the proper skills in the trade that you have invested in.

The negative impact of the skills gap is substantial

-Millennials (those born between 1977-1997) will make up half of the U.S. workforce in four years.

-VAAAC is committed to education and training of the manufacturing workforce.

To find out more about Aeromet Industries and our apprenticeship program, visit our website. We also post more manufacturing news on our Twitter and LinkedIn.