Penn College pilots injection molding training with B. Braun

Penn College Workforce Development has partnered with B. Braun Medical Inc. to hold a pilot injection molding training.

Twenty-one participants in two cohorts received 24 instructional hours of training over eight weeks. The on-site initiative at B. Braun’s facility equipped employees with essential skills in polymer fundamentals, molding equipment, tooling, processing and core workplace competencies. The courses were taught by Nathan A. Rader-Edkin and Reagan G. McCoy, both Penn College Workforce Development polymers program managers.

“This pilot represents a strategic investment in regional workforce readiness, and at its conclusion both organizations began evaluating opportunities to enhance and scale the program to meet the growing needs of Pennsylvania’s plastics manufacturing sector,” said Sara R. Hillis Ousby, executive director of business and industry for Workforce Development.

The initiative was championed by leaders across the Lehigh Valley, including state Sen. Nick Miller, chair of the Senate Minority Policy committee, who recognized the critical need for a stronger advanced manufacturing talent pipeline.

Some of the participants of a pilot injection molding training are seen with Reagan G. McCoy, Penn College Workforce Development program manager, polymers, sixth from left. The on-site initiative at B. Braun Medical Inc. equipped employees with essential skills in polymer fundamentals, molding equipment, tooling, processing and core workplace competencies. 

“This new partnership between Pennsylvania College of Technology and B. Braun is exactly the kind of forward-thinking investment that I strive to support as a legislator,” Miller said. “It is a responsible investment in first-rate polymer and injection molding training that will continue to strengthen the advanced manufacturing talent pipeline in the Lehigh Valley. I am confident that bringing Penn College’s advanced manufacturing expertise directly to the workplace will deliver positive results for workers, B. Braun and our regional economy.”

The need for skilled labor in advanced manufacturing – and plastics, specifically – is not new, Ousby said. Deliotte projects the manufacturing industry may need 3.8 million new workers by 2033, with nearly half of those positions at risk of going unfilled. The Plastics Industry Association is already reporting nearly half a million open positions today as a generation of trade-trained workers moves toward retirement.

“Our goal is to work with employers like B. Braun to provide training programs that close the projected skilled labor gap,” she added. “This type of training takes the B. Braun workforce and others like them, who may not have any experience in the plastics sector, and makes them effective plastics processing technicians.”

“Pennsylvania College of Technology is recognized as a premier institution for plastics and polymers, and we are proud to partner with them to bring this training directly to our employees,” said Mike Bartholomew, vice president and general manager of Allentown operations at B. Braun. “By leveraging state support and hosting Penn College instructors at our facility, we are pioneering a new model for workforce development in the Lehigh Valley. This hands-on training on our own equipment creates immediate value for our team and supports the future of manufacturing in our region.”

In addition to being a Corporate Tomorrow Maker, B. Braun Medical Inc. is a member of the Ambassadors Society ($25,000-$49,999) on the college’s Donor Wall.

The Penn College Workforce Development Polymers Lab is a leading resource for education, training and technical support across the plastics industry. Serving manufacturers, resin suppliers, mold builders and equipment providers, the lab offers access to advanced material-testing capabilities, industrial-scale processing equipment and world-class training facilities. In addition to training, the lab provides technical assistance and consulting services to help companies improve operations and innovate. To learn more about this and other Workforce Development programs, call 570-327-4775 or email workforce@pct.edu.

Penn College offers a bachelor’s degree in polymer engineering technology, an associate degree in polymer technology and a certificate in polymer processing. Both degree programs boast 100% overall job placement. For information about those and other majors in the School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.

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