GACCs
Skills Update
April 2018
Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting!
The GACCs' Skills Teams are ramping up our cooperative marketing efforts to get the best candidate pool possible for our ICATT and GA CATT Network Companies. One success story is  North American Lighting, Inc. : their Facebook post was shared over 500 times, and the company was even featured on local news . This was a major success in terms of raising awareness for the opportunities the program offers and getting people interested - we've received many applications as a result.

Contact the GACC representative for your region to discuss how we can leverage each other's marketing efforts.

Timeline for the 2018 cohort:
 
  • April 2018: Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting!
  • May 2018: Window of opportunity closes for effectively reaching high school graduates; Train the Trainer workshop in Chicago, May 17-21
  • Summer 2018: Potential jobs/internships for apprentices; finalizing company-specific training plans
  • August 2018: Start of cohort 2018
  • Fall 2018: Start recruiting for 2019 cohort

Kind regards,

Virginia Attaway Rounds
Director, Skills Initiative & ICATT Apprenticeship Program
Meet us at GCAMP & TMA Manufacturing Career Fair in Elk Grove Village, IL
On Apr. 18, the GCAMP and TMA Manufacturing Career Fair will take place in Elk Grove Village, IL. The ICATT Apprenticeship Team will inform students about their internship and apprenticeship opportunities in manufacturing there.

The great thing about this career fair is that manufacturing students from a large number of high schools, including Wheeling High School, Rolling Meadows High School, Buffalo Grove High School, Prospect High School, John Hersey High School, James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates High School, Schaumburg High School, William Fremd High School, Palatine High School, and Elk Grove High School will be attending. W e hope to see you there as well!

To register, please contact Leigh Coglianese of TMA or call (847) 825-1120 ext. 1060. For more information, contact Gary Skoog of GCAMP at (847) 815-6729.
Welcome to our New ICATT Network Companies
We are excited to see further growth and welcome three new ICATT Network Companies offering apprenticeships for Advanced Manufacturing Technician: XACT Wire EDM, SG360º and Fells.
A leading nationwide provider of premier wire EDM and small hole EDM machining services, XACT Wire EDM , located in Cary, IL, is one of the largest wire EDM shops in the U.S. The company's capabilities are diverse, including production (medical, surgical, dental), die components, mold details and electrodes, high precision, and many more.
SG360º , a marketing company and located in Broadview, IL, focuses on innovative direct marketing solutions and uses advancements in technology to create an omnichannel communication strategy. SG360º finds solutions for many industry segments, including automotive, financial services, healthcare, insurance services, retail, telecommunications, and travel and hospitality.
Headquartered in Germany, new ICATT Network Company Fells Rotaform LLC , located in New Berlin, WI, manufactures metal processing machines and components for diverse sectors such as the automotive industry. The company's key technologies include rotary swaging, axial forming, bending, end forming and autofrettage, along with a variety of applications focusing on customer requirements.
If you would also like to join the ICATT Apprenticeship Program or for more information, please contact Joshua Seeberg or call (312) 494-2170.
Recap: Panel on Workforce Development in Streamwood, IL
The ICATT Apprenticeship Program took part in a panel discussion on work-based learning hosted by the Alignment Collaborative for Education in Streamwood, IL. ICATT Manager Joshua Seeberg explained to manufacturers and education professionals how the ICATT Apprenticeship Program supports local companies with their workforce training while sparking an interest in manufacturing careers through its high school outreach efforts. We are excited to support the Alignment Collaborative for Education and school district U-46 in developing career pathways for the manufacturing sector.

To find out how you can become an ICATT Network Company or high school partner, contact Joshua Seeberg or call (312) 494-2170.
Recap: American Council on Germany in Noblesville, IN
ICATT Manager Joshua Seeberg attended a presentation describing Connecticut-based TRUMPF Inc. 's apprenticeship program and the greater need for manufacturers to embrace European-style apprenticeships. Christina Benz, Training Manager at TRUMPF Inc., spoke at Index Corporation 's Noblesville, IN facility to representatives from government, education, economic development and industry. Mr. Seeberg and the ICATT Apprenticeship Program were honored to receive a special mention at the event, as they are starting a new ICATT cluster in the Indianapolis area in conjunction with Ivy Tech Community College this fall.

For more information on ICATT's efforts in Indiana, contact Joshua Seeberg or call (312) 494-2170.
Recap: 2018 Manufacturing Matters! in Milwaukee, WI
To kick off March, our  ICATT  Apprenticeship Team hosted a booth at the 2018 Manufacturing Matters! conference, the premiere event for Wisconsin manufacturers. With almost 500 attendees, it was a valuable opportunity to network and connect with potential ICATT Network Companies. We look forward to growing our network in Wisconsin.

Contact our team to  become a part of our network  and close your skills gap through the ICATT Apprenticeship Program.
Recap: Executive Delegation from Germany's BDI Visits the GA CATT & ICATT Apprenticeship Program
Top executives from the German industry association BDI, Dr. Stefan Mair and Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, visited GACC Skills Initiative clusters in March.

The BDI is the umbrella organization of German industry and industry-related service providers. It represents 38 industrial sector federations and speaks for more than 100,000 private enterprises employing around 8 million people.

The first stop in Chicago included a visit to founding ICATT Network Company WITTENSTEIN. Dr. Mair and Dr. Mildner were interested in the technical training and academic aspects of the program, but also the personal impact of program participation. Dr. Mair asked Alexis Ojeda, WITTENSTEIN's ICATT Apprentice, what his parents and friends thought of the program. Alexis responded that both were very impressed with the program, and in fact that some of his friends have also applied to participate. Read more about the visit on WITTENSTEIN’s website .
During the second stop in Atlanta, our guest visited the GA CATT founding company Grenzebach Corporation in Newnan, GA. CFO Martin Pleyer talked about his reasons to initiate an apprenticeship program modeled after the German system. Later on our guests stopped at West Geogia Technical College and discussed the challenges and benefits for the educational partners. They also enjoyed a very lively discussion with the apprentices. The young adults agreed on choosing this pathway because of the great career opportunities and the more practical direction of the program.
Recap: Train the Mentor - Written Exams for the "AdA International Certification"
GACC South’s GA CATT Mentors took the written examination for their AdA International Certification on Mar. 8 and 9, 2018. These two days marked an important milestone for the GACCs as these were the first AdA International exams ever taken in the US.

The exam consisted of 70 multiple choice questions based on the Mentors' training for any dual apprenticeship profession. The exam questions were the same as in the German certification process. We are proud of all 23 participants as they all successfully passed the exam. Congratulations, Mentors!

For more info about the next trainings, please contact Nicole Heimann .
Recap: Industry Breakfast in Gainesville, GA with the Lt. Governor’s Office
The Lanier College & Career Academy hosted an industry breakfast on Mar. 20. Irene Munn from the Lt. Governor’s office and Nicole Heimann, Director Skills Initiative explained how the GA CATT model could help local employers to grow a strong workforce for their companies and the region. Next to the educational partners Lanier Technical College and their College and Career Academy, the local Chamber and local companies attended the meeting to learn more about the German dual education model.

GACC South will expand their apprenticeship programs for high school graduates this year and launch an apprenticeship program for high school students in 2018.

For more information please contact Nicole Heimann .
Open Posit ion: Coordinator Skills Initiative with GACC South
GACC South opened the next position as a Coordinator for single company programs and regional clusters.

Please find more information about the position here .