Apprenticeship Week highlights ‘earn-while-you-learn’ approach

National Apprenticeship Week was celebrated in early May, and Pennsylvania College of Technology offers ample opportunities for those interested in the “earn-while-you-learn” model.

The theme for the week, “America at Work: Making America Skilled Again Through Registered Apprenticeship,” aligns directly with the mission of Penn College Workforce Development to organize, register and execute leading-edge apprenticeship programs for companies of all sizes while incorporating state-of-the-art related technical instruction.

“We offer a range of apprenticeship programs designed to help people learn on the job while earning a paycheck and to help employers build the skilled workforce they need,” said Alison A. Diehl, vice president for Penn College Workforce Development. “Our registered apprenticeships combine paid employment, structured mentoring and college-led instruction, resulting in nationally recognized credentials that travel with the apprentice throughout their career.”

Penn College is a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program Sponsor, which means it can design and deliver apprenticeships not just in Pennsylvania, but across the country.

“Registered apprenticeships are important because they create a true win-win for employers and the workforce,” Diehl added. “Our model is designed to balance the needs of both the apprentice and the employer. For industry, they offer a proven way to develop highly skilled employees who are trained in a company’s specific needs, improving productivity and retention. For apprentices, they provide a direct pathway to a career, earning a paycheck while gaining hands-on experience, mentorship and a nationally recognized credential. At Penn College Workforce Development, registered apprenticeships align education with real-word demand, helping businesses grow and individuals build long-term, sustainable careers.”

Workforce Development’s most established apprenticeship programs serve the advanced manufacturing sector. Two computer numerical control apprenticeship programs – a three-year precision machinist apprenticeship and an 18-month machining specialist program launching in the fall – teach CNC operation, machining fundamentals and shop-ready skills aligned with modern manufacturing environments.

The industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship emphasizes broad, foundational skills, including maintenance, quality, safety and troubleshooting, making it a strong fit for entry-level technicians and those transitioning into manufacturing roles. Industrial maintenance and mechatronics-based apprenticeships further support employers who need maintenance technicians capable of working with automated, integrated production systems.

Applied management student Cranston J. Shearer, of Montoursville, is in his second year of the four-year mechatronics apprenticeship program. Although he initially attended Penn College in 2009 after graduating from Susquehannock High School, he decided to forgo higher education to enter the workforce full time.
 

Cranston J. Shearer
 

He started at West Pharmaceutical Services Inc., Jersey Shore, in 2015 as an extrusion operator, where he quickly adapted and developed strong technical skills. His excellent performance led to a promotion to the role of a mold cell technician, and within a year, he began an apprenticeship with Penn College Workforce Development.

“I saw the apprenticeship as a structured pathway to grow technically and professionally,” he said. “The financial incentive was certainly an added benefit, but the primary motivation was career progression. West supported my development by allowing me to join the next wave of the apprenticeship program and providing the opportunity to grow within the organization.”

Tiffany Loner-Diemer, senior manager of learning and development at West, said Shearer was among the initial participants in the apprenticeship partnership between West and Penn College, and he has consistently demonstrated dedication to career advancement through ongoing skills development, knowledge sharing and participation in training programs.

“Cranston’s growth shows how apprenticeship programs help build essential technical skills and create lasting talent pipelines,” Diemer said. “Through a mix of hands-on training and formal education, his story demonstrates that apprenticeship programs can lead to advancement in specialized technical roles within any organization.”

His journey, she added, highlights how integrated learning pathways like apprenticeship programs support internal mobility and strengthen the company’s technical capability.

“Cranston started in the industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship program through his employment at West Pharmaceuticals,” said Sara R. Hillis Ousby, executive director of business and industry for Workforce Development. “The model for apprenticeship at Penn College is that students take noncredit courses for the required related technical instruction. Upon completion of the apprenticeship (in 2022), Cranston enrolled in the apprenticeship technology associate degree pathway, utilizing his apprenticeship experience for a significant portion of the credit toward that degree (39 credits). Cranston graduated with his associate degree in May 2024 and is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree and is enrolled in the Workforce Development mechatronics apprenticeship. To date, only two individuals have utilized the apprenticeship-to-degree pathway. Cranston’s experience highlights that there are unique paths to a degree, depending on an individual’s goals and experiences.”

Shearer said the combination of hands-on plant experience and academic education gave him a unique advantage.

“The apprenticeship provided real-world troubleshooting skills and practical application; the academic education strengthened my theoretical understanding and strategic thinking,” he said. “Together, they positioned me ahead of individuals who had only traditional classroom education or only on-the-job experience.”  

Ousby said that there is a misnomer that individuals either pursue a college education or complete a vocational training program, like apprenticeship.

“Cranston is a modern-day example that learners and employers are more invested in the outcomes of workforce preparation, as opposed to being focused on how that preparation occurs,” she said.  

For Shearer, completion of the first apprenticeship opened up several opportunities at West Pharmaceuticals. He was promoted to senior mold cell technician and later to engineering technician. Due to a lack of degree, however, he was not considered for engineering roles.

“At that point, I leveraged the credits earned through the IMT apprenticeship and completed my associate degree, with only four to five additional courses required, thanks to my previous coursework,” he said. “I also utilized West’s tuition reimbursement program, which made completing the degree financially manageable.”

In April 2025, Shearer was promoted to process improvement engineer, and, after the retirement of his mentor and previous supervisor, he was offered the position of supervisor of process engineering, a role that he said he openly worked toward since 2018.

“Penn College helped demonstrate to West that I was serious about investing in myself,” he said. “While my experience and performance were strong, earning my degree provided the formal credential that opened doors that experience alone could not. It validated my technical knowledge, strengthened my professional credibility and ultimately helped position me for leadership.”

In addition to advanced manufacturing, Penn College Workforce Development also offers plastics process technician, energy specialist and bus maintenance technician apprenticeships, aligning training with real-world industry demand, as well as a state-registered pre-apprenticeship – Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship.

The pre-apprenticeship is designed primarily for high school students and helps participants explore high-demand manufacturing careers while building skills that align directly with registered apprenticeship and entry-level employment opportunities.

“The program blends classroom learning with hands-on activities and connects participants with employers, creating a clear pathway from education to career,” Ousby said.

To learn more about the apprenticeship opportunities offered through Penn College Workforce Development, call 570-327-4775 or email workforce@pct.edu.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.