Apprenticeships on the Rise

Tue, Mar 19, 2024

Vol State is excited to announce its first federally registered United States Department of Labor Apprenticeship for manufacturing. Several years ago, Vol State operated an apprenticeship program in hospitality. The registered apprenticeship with Hutchinson focuses on advanced manufacturing and is connected to the college’s mechatronics program. The apprenticeship launch was made possible thanks to the MIDAS grant in partnership with the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Hutchinson’s headquarters are in France, and their Livingston facility focuses on the manufacturing of automotive air conditioning components for brands such as GM, Buick, Honda, and others. A fun fact: Vol State students enrolled in Mechatronics at the Cookeville campus are working at Hutchinson and making components for new Corvettes!

Staff and students from Vol State, Hutchinson team members, and partners from the TN Dept of Labor’s Apprenticeship office and Upper Cumberland’s Workforce Connections team were on hand to commemorate the occasion.

The apprenticeship program has openings for summer and fall opportunities.  Financial assistance is available. If your company is interested in developing your existing and future workforce pipelines via short term apprenticeship based or customized training, contact Jeff Cockrell (jeff.cockrell@volstate.edu; (615) 230-3321). See more about our programs to help upskill and reskill the workforce here: Elevate Your Workforce.

Blog Author
Nicholas Bishop, Esq., Vice President for Economic Development and Regional Centers
Nick signing apprenticeship agreement with Hutchinson