November 3, 2017
AHK USA Skills Update
Apprenticeships are Everywhere this Fall!

October was Manufacturing Month in Illinois and we celebrated it to the fullest. ICATT Network Companies held some great events on Manufacturing Day (Oct. 6, 2017), we explored Overcoming the Workforce Crisis through Apprenticeship Programs with the Union League Club of Chicago, and ICATT received the Community Empowerment Award at the 4th Revolution Awards ceremony.
 
November promises to be just as busy, with the presentation of the National GACC Apprenticeship Award as well as a number of events related to National Apprenticeship Week (November 13-19).
 
Please join us at one of our upcoming events, or simply reach out to see how you can be a part of our apprenticeship efforts!


Kind regards,

Virginia Attaway Rounds
Director, Skills Initiative
Meet ICATT at National Apprenticeship Week, November 13 - 19, 2017
This month, several companies across the U.S. will host open houses during the annual  National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which will give the younger generation the opportunity to learn more about career options through apprenticeship programs. At the same time manufacturing companies can showcase their facilities, products, and technologies.


The following ICATT Network Companies will be hosting groups of future leaders at open house events to showcase career options in modern manufacturing:
Richard Wolf Medical Instruments (Nov. 14)
Bourn & Koch, Inc. (Nov. 15)
FIBRO Inc. North American Operations (Nov. 15)
J&M Plating (Nov. 15)
Krones (Nov. 15)
Herrmann Ultrasonics (Nov. 16)
BBS Automation (Nov. 16)
BorgWarner (Nov. 16)
Principle Manufacturing Corporation (Nov. 16)
Inland Die Casting (tbd)

All companies are opening their doors to interested students, teachers, counselors and parents in order to give them a better understanding of what modern manufacturing looks like and what careers are available in this industry.

If you would like to attend any of the above-listed open houses, please contact Sinan Ordu via email ( ordu@gaccmidwest.org) or call (312) 585-8338.
ICATT is now GI Bill Certified
We are proud to announce that ICATT is now certified with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to accept GI Bill recipients. Veterans taking advantage of GI Bill funds may apply them to their college tuition while earning both a salary and stipend from their employer through ICATT. The move makes the ICATT Apprenticeship Program more accessible to veterans and incentivizes employers to hire them.

For more details, please contact Joshua Seeberg via email ( seeberg@gaccmidwest.org ) or call (312) 494-2170.
Brose North America Wins GACC Apprenticeship Award 2017
The German American Chambers of Commerce are honored to announce this year's winner of the GACC Apprenticeship Award: Brose North America, Inc. Since 1993, the Michigan-based company has been operating in the North American market. In 1908, Brose was established in Germany and is today the world’s fifth-largest family-owned automotive supplier.

Brose is awarded for its leadership and innovation in workforce development, especially by implementing German-style apprenticeship programs. They offer young Americans valuable career pathways as a great alternative to the traditional four-year college education. Kevin O'Brien, one of Brose's Mechatronics Technician apprentices, states, “Getting out of high school I was not sure if college was the route I wanted to take. This apprenticeship program at Brose was able to provide me with the best of both experiences - using my education in the real world, in real time. I am already light years ahead in my professional career compared to that of my friends who are attending a four-year college”.

And the Winner is ... the ICATT Apprenticeship Program
ICATT is delighted to receive the Community Empowerment Award during the Fourth Revolution Awards ceremony, established by mHUB , IMEC , and UI LABS.

The Fourth Revolution Awards ceremony celebrates the regional manufacturing community for its leadership and innovation as the industry stands on the brink of a new technological revolution. During the ceremony, eight awards were presented to leaders, companies, and industrial initiatives that have made significant contributions to the regional manufacturing ecosystem.

The ICATT team thanks all of the ICATT Network Companies who make this consortium the success that it is. We are convinced that working together, the program's success will continue to grow as the need and benefits of apprenticeships in the manufacturing industry are increasingly recognized.

Check out our Facebook page for photos of the event .
Overcoming the Workforce Crisis through Apprenticeship Programs
How can apprenticeships help overcome the workforce crisis in the US' manufacturing industry? This and many other interesting discussions were part of the joint event with the Union League Club of Chicago (ULCC) and GACC Midwest, on October 17, 2017 at the ULCC in downtown Chicago.

Thomas Hein, one of two apprentices at Wittenstein North America, shared his personal and very insightful experiences as an apprentice, talking about both in-company training and college courses. Thomas is currently in his second year as a CNC Machining Professional and will graduate from the ICATT Apprenticeship Program in 2019. To a question from the audience about what keeps him motivated in his apprenticeship, Thomas answered that discovering what he can learn in his college courses and realizing that there is so much more to every topic than he first expected, impresses him every single time.
2017 International Skills Conference - Apprenticeships Seen As Model of the Future
GACC South hosted its 2017 International Skills Conference on October 31. The conference brought together business champions in apprenticeship programs across the Southern region modeled after the German system, as well as experts from Washington, D.C, Chicago, and Germany. Panel discussions covered national and local initiatives for apprenticeship programs, as well as featured employer perspectives on adapting the German model for US manufacturers. Following the conference, the group traveled to Newnan, GA to see the GA CATT Apprenticeship Program in action.