Released March 8, 2017
As it prepares for an open house event on March 22, 2017, the Quinebaug Valley Community College Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center is proud to announce that the majority of students in their second and final semester have secured jobs in eastern Connecticut’s advanced manufacturing industry.
“Companies literally can’t wait for our students to graduate in May,” explained the Center’s director, Steve LaPointe. “Here we are, not even halfway through the spring semester, and the majority of our upcoming graduates are already employed with local companies.”
According to LaPointe, the early placement of upcoming graduates is due in large part to the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center’s paid-internship program. Placed in part-time positions starting at $14 per hour, student-interns hone their technical skills in a real-world environment and earn valuable income as they complete QVCC’s full-time, 34-credit advanced manufacturing certificate program. Since 2013, paid-internships have led to full-time employment for many of the program’s 119 graduates.
As a pipeline to in-demand, high-skilled employees, the internship program has grown popular with area manufacturers in the biomedical, aerospace, and defense industries. At Renchel Tool Inc. of Putnam, three QVCC interns work part-time operating cutting-edge CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinery to produce complex medical and orthopedic instruments.
“The combination of education and real-world experience benefits the students and our company,” commented Guy LaPointe, chief financial officer for Renchel Tool. “In addition to training them in our technical areas of need, the internship lets us determine if the students are a good fit for our company’s culture. They are fitting in nicely.”
At Slater Hill Tool of Putnam, owner Josh Nason is pleased with QVCC intern Dylan Glaude’s progress as an operator of CNC lathes and milling machines. When Dylan graduates in May 2017, both employee and employer are optimistic that the part-time internship will become a full-time job and the start of a new career.
“If I can get Dylan where he needs to be in order to come work for Slater Hill Tool full-time, that’s a win for both of us,” Nason said.
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center will host an open house for prospective students on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, on the College’s Danielson campus. Presentations will begin at 6:15 and 6:45 p.m., with guided tours of the 10,000 square foot training facility to follow. Open house guests can apply on the spot, free of charge, for the fall 2017 semester.
Scholarships, financial aid, and veteran benefits are available for qualified applicants. Through the generous donation of a $25,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center also offers a $100 early enrollment bonus, as well as incentive-based financial awards throughout the two-semester program.
For more information, visit www.qvcc.staging.wpengine.com/manufacturing or call the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at (860)-932-4128.