The Industrial Maintenance Program gives people the skills to have a sustainable and rewarding career in the future and is a great learning experience for anyone interested in manufacturing and working with their hands.
The most important thing to know about this program is that it can be life changing. If you have an interest in working with your hands and are mechanically inclined this program is an unbelievable gift and it is for you. It is free to those who qualify as well and it can place you in a high paying career.
It was all started due to the success of the Metalworking Program which began in 2014 and it has continued with that success in just over a year. “To say the Program is a success is an understatement” “In a little over a year, we have trained 40 students and have placed 90 percent of our graduates,” says Stephanie Wenger who works in workforce development department at Bucks.
They hold two recruitment sessions about six weeks before the program starts. They have an interview and do a couple tests beforehand and then once accepted, you are expected to make it to every class.
Additionally, half-way through the training they will participate in three soft skills workings – interviewing, resume and financial literacy. Towards the end of the Program students are paired with a job developer that will help them find a job in industry.
Stephanie Wenger says that she loves this program and she says that, “to know that I have changed someone’s life is incredibly rewarding.” “Many of our students don’t know what they want to do and this gives them a direction and the possibility of having a very profitable career.”
There was so much success in the Metalworking program that they wanted to see what other training programs would be valuable to employers in the area. They then went back to see what areas they needed employees in and they identified Industrial Maintenance as a top priority.
Afterwards, they worked with employers and instructors to put together a curriculum and then started this program.
The Metalworking Program was originally funded through Bucks County to help people that were under or unemployed receive training to help them find a position. When developing the Industrial Maintenance they wanted to make sure that they were still able to offer the program free of charge in order to better serve the community.
Stephanie Wenger says that they are able to offer the program at no cost because, “monies that we have secured through the Workforce Development Board and the County through grants”.
If somebody wanted to sign up for this, it would be a good idea if you want a high paying career. Most of the students at Bucks start earning close to 45K upon graduating the program and that’s only the beginning.
“The right person is someone who is mechanically inclined and likes to work with their hands.” They will be in manufacturing so they can’t be afraid to get dirty and must be willing to be a problem solver.” says Stephanie Wenger.
You will earn certificates in the following credentials – Intro to Manufacturing; Shop Math and Measurement; Blueprint Reading; Basic Electricity/Electric Relay Control;Electrical Fabrication and Mechanical Fabrication. All of these you will learn and become very accustomed to in this program.
You will also become certified to be an entry-level industrial maintenance mechanic/technician which is a very important part to this program as well.
You can sign up for this by contacting Bridget Hughes in the Center for Workforce Development. She handles all of the information sessions and will also conduct one-on-one interviews when needed.
Each training program is a 12 week commitment. Classes are held from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm in Doylestown, PA at the Center for Public Safety. There are also mandatory company tours from 9 am – 11:00 am on Fridays.
The next class begins on March 19th and graduation will be held on June 8th. A new Program begins every 13 weeks. For anyone interested you should come sign up, this could be a life changing experience and can really make a difference in your life.