Pre-apprenticeship program boosts manufacturing skills
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Photos by Alexandra Butler, photographer/photo editor
Adam J. Yoder (left), industrial training specialist with Workforce Development, gathers with some of the high school students who completed the Spring 2025 session of the Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program. The students attended the program's final event – Industry Day, a combination graduation ceremony and mini-career fair, held in Penn College's Penn's Inn.
Paving a pathway to a career in the manufacturing sector, the Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program, coordinated by Workforce Development at Penn College, recently graduated another cohort of high school students from across Pennsylvania.
Reflecting the AMP program’s continued success as schools expand career development opportunities to prepare students for college and the workforce, this spring’s four-month offering enrolled 120 high school participants.
"Pre-apprenticeship programs like AMP provide a low-risk training opportunity for high school students to explore career opportunities in in-demand, high-skill manufacturing jobs,” explained Adam J. Yoder, industrial training specialist with Workforce Development. “In partnership with industry, Penn College's manufacturing pre-apprenticeship establishes a pipeline entry point for the future manufacturing workforce."
Among the hands-on lab experiences, AMP enrollees are exposed to basic mechanics, including building and programing a small robot to understand robotic operations and foundational programming.
The program combines online learning with hands-on experience. Students participate in three in-person lab sessions to develop practical skills that underscore manufacturing concepts.
The labs focus on technical and interpersonal skill development, supplementing the AMP program’s core curriculum. Students are exposed to basic mechanics (building and designing pulley systems to understand mechanical advantage), basic electricity (building and designing multiple DC circuits and building a miniature DC motor to understand electrical systems operation and conversion of electricity), and foundational robotics (building and programing a small robot to understand robotic operations and foundational programming).
AMP aligns with eight registered manufacturing apprenticeship programs that Workforce Development coordinates with employers across the commonwealth and nationally. Employer involvement offers students valuable insights into alternative education and training paths, leading to in-demand careers.
This spring’s AMP program concluded with an Industry Day, a combination graduation ceremony and mini-career fair. Businesses who participated were Chance Aluminum, First Quality, IMC – The Innovative Manufacturers' Center and West Pharmaceuticals. Students from Commonwealth Charter Academy, Insight PA Cyber Charter School, Loyalsock Township School District and Sullivan County School District attended. In addition to Yoder, Penn College staff addressing the gathering were Alison A. Diehl, vice president for Workforce Development; Sara R. Hillis Ousby, director, workforce training programs; and Nick W. Henning, enrollment counselor.
For more information on AMP, email or call Workforce Development at 570-327-4775.
Yoder (at center) brainstorms solutions with the high school students at one of their in-person lab experiences, held in the Center for Business & Workforce Development on Penn College's main campus in Williamsport.
The lab sessions develop practical skills that underscore manufacturing concepts.
While exploring career pathways in manufacturing, AMP enrollees earn an industry-recognized credential.
In addition to foundational robotics, AMP participants are exposed to basic mechanics and basic electricity ...
... and Yoder also engages them in interpersonal skill development.
Alison A. Diehl, vice president for Workforce Development, addresses the Industry Day gathering.
Yoder presents certificates ...
... and poses for photo ops with the AMP graduates.
West Pharmaceuticals representatives are among the business leaders connecting with the teens at Industry Day's mini-career fair.
Gaining valuable insights into careers at First Quality
Nick W. Henning, enrollment counselor, shares educational prospects with the high school students.