National Apprenticeship Week: REHAU Academy Update
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – The U.S. Department of Labor has deemed this week as the first National Apprenticeship Week, which is focused on creating awareness on how important it is to develop an innovative and highly-skilled workforce through apprenticeships.
Since 2013, Wallace State Community College has partnered with REHAU Inc., in Cullman, to provide apprenticeship opportunities for select mechatronics and tool and die students. The partnership extended a step further at the beginning of the fall semester when the REHAU Academy program welcomed six apprentices from Wallace State’s Fast Track for Industry, a program for career tech motivated high school junior and senior taking dual enrollment classes at Wallace State.
“The REHAU Academy is certainly a best practice model that could be developed throughout the state of Alabama,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Wallace State is honored to be a leader in offering unique learning and opportunities to promising high school seniors.”
The newly-formed REHAU Academy paid apprenticeship program has already reaped benefits for dual enrollment students like Gavin Mobley.
“Being in the REHAU Academy is definitely a great opportunity to get you a guaranteed job in the future and to get you familiar with how the company operates. It gives you a preview of what to expect once you are done. This program allows you not to go into the job unprepared one day. You’ll go in at a higher level and more advanced in education,” said Mobley, a senior from Fairview High School.
Six paid REHAU Academy apprentices are part of the inaugural program. Students apply for apprenticeships during their junior year of high school and begin the apprenticeship during their senior year.
Each apprenticeship lasts two years – the senior year of high school and the freshman year of community college – during which time students split their time between working at REHAU and attending Fast Track for Industry classes on campus at Wallace State. While at REHAU, students receive real-world specialized training in injection molding to become polymer specialists. REHAU compensates students financially for their participation in the apprenticeship. Upon successful completion of the program, students will have graduated from high school and earned a certificate in injection molding from Wallace State. They will be eligible for full-time employment with REHAU as polymer specialists.
“It truly is hard to believe you can be done with a high school and associate’s degree and be guaranteed a full-time job, all before you’re probably even 20 years old. It’s definitely something I’m grateful for. You can’t let something like this pass you by,” Mobley said.
Jeff Curtis, the Cullman Area Career Center Director, now has his office at Wallace State with the Fast Track for Industry program where the REHAU Academy apprentices meet with other dual enrollment students.
“The REHAU Academy apprenticeship program is off to a great start. We have students who work hard in the program, and we hope to increase the number to eight apprentices with the second class. We want to add a new group every year and add to the REHAU workforce,” Curtis said. “REHAU does a great job with the apprenticeship and they are used to conducting apprenticeship programs in Germany and all over Europe.”
Mobley said a regular apprenticeship week consists of attending classes at Wallace State on Monday and Wednesday and working at REHAU on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Mobley added he works 25 hours and 30 minutes each week.
The inaugural REHAU Academy also consists of students Steven Ogle, Nathan Hannah, Jesse Ude, Matthew Kennemer and Drew Laney.
REHAU is among the Cullman area’s largest employers. Polymer specialists are among the most in-demand positions at REHAU-Cullman. Those working in this area are likely to find themselves creating bumpers for Mercedes, one of REHAU-Cullman’s biggest clients. Two thousand bumpers, designed and manufactured to precision, are produced in the Cullman facility for Mercedes each day.
In addition to bumpers, REHAU-Cullman also specializes in a PEXa pipe for plumbing, geothermal heat exchange, radiant heating and cooling, and municipal water service lines. PEXa pipe is a kind of highly engineered and environmentally sustainable polymer pipe pioneered by REHAU to withstand extreme temperatures, excessive surges in pressure and sudden impact.
In the past year, Wallace State also had apprenticeships for its students at Nissan, Topre and Wayne’s Farms. All converted into full-time employees at those locations. Students also have current apprenticeship opportunities at Kamtek, Yutaka, and Cash Acme.
For more information about the REHAU Academy apprenticeship program and Fast Track for Industry, contact Jeff Curtis at 256.352.7862 or jcurtis@ccboe.org, or Jimmy Hodges at 256.352.8229 or jimmy.hodges@wallacestate.edu. Cullman County high school juniors and parents of students interested in the program should contact their guidance counselors.
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
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Pictures:
Gavin Mobley, a senior at Fairview High School, is among the six Wallace State Fast Track for Industry students currently enrolled in the REHAU Academy.
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8443 direct
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu
Kristen Holmes
Communications & Marketing Director, and
Administrator, The Evelyn Burrow Museum
Wallace State Community College
801 Main Street NW | Hanceville, AL 35077
E-mail: kristen.holmes@wallacestate.edu
Office: 256.352.8118 | Cell: 256.339.2519 | Toll Free: 866.350.9722