Media Center
August 19, 2009
Bridging the Gap from the Classroom to the Workplace
Bridging the Gap from the Classroom to the Workplace
A group of Kershaw County chemistry teachers were given the opportunity to observe firsthand how the theory and skills they teach in the classroom are put to use in the workplace.
WeylChem, a custom manufacturer of advanced building blocks for the agrochemical industry and intermediates for the pharmaceutical industry, hosted a group of Kershaw county educators on-site at their Elgin facility last Tuesday for an afternoon of information sharing. The focal point of the day was WeylChem’s innovative apprenticeship program.
“The driving force behind our apprenticeship program here at WeylChem was the need for a better educated workforce,” said Andreas Maier, vice president of operations for WeylChem. “The job specific training and job shadowing have helped us remain competitive internationally in a very tough economy. We are experiencing faster troubleshooting, improved problem solving and overall improved work skills among our chemical operator apprentices.”
With a current enrollment of 26 apprentices and an aggressive plan to incorporate aspects of the program into all operator positions over the next few years, WeylChem is taking a pioneering approach to workforce development. The first registered apprenticeship program in Kershaw County, WeylChem’s apprenticeship program will train participants on the job for three years. Participants will also receive job related training through Central Carolina Technical College in addition to instruction by a number of WeylChem’s experts. A total of 12 full weeks of training incorporating both classroom and lab training will cover such areas as safety, quality, physics, chemistry, plant operations and other job specific topics.
An apprenticeship is a time-tested method of employee career development that combines supervised on-the-job learning and job-related education. A program “registered” with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) shows an employer’s visible
commitment to developing a high-quality workforce that meets nationally recognized training standards. Registered apprenticeship programs also enable employees to receive incremental wage increases as they demonstrate new competencies throughout the training program.
“The effectiveness of apprenticeship as a career development tool is becoming quite clear in South Carolina as Apprenticeship Carolina™ continues to average one federally registered program per week,” said Ann Marie Stieritz, director of Apprenticeship Carolina™. “WeylChem’s registration of their program for Chemical Operators shows their commitment to a skilled workforce. Apprenticeship Carolina™, along with the technical colleges of South Carolina, is committed to this same end goal.”
Apprenticeship Carolina™, a division of the South Carolina Technical College System, helps to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. A crucial aspect of the process involves Apprenticeship Carolina™’s ability to leverage various agencies and partners across the service area. WeylChem’s apprenticeship program provides an excellent example.
The Santee Lynches Workforce Investment Board awarded WeylChem an Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Grant. Les Thompson, director of workforce development at Santee Lynches Workforce Investment Board commented “This meeting with the Kershaw County chemistry teachers and WeylChem set a precedence for workforce and educational development! Apprenticeship Carolina™’s efforts to get the apprenticeship program established is a testament to the solid use of the Incumbent Worker Training funding. Ultimately, I believe our children will be the recipient of the lessons learned from these events – these teachers now have real time, real world experiences that place added value on their student’s studies.”
Central Carolina Technical College developed company specific training for the apprenticeship program. “Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) has a strong relationship with WeylChem US Inc. in developing and delivering customized training to meet their apprenticeship program needs. WeylChem is dedicated to the continual advancement of their workforce and CCTC is excited about our long term commitment in helping them provide quality education.” said Elizabeth Williams, director of the SC Environmental Training Center at Central Carolina Technical College.
“Apprenticeship Carolina’s ability to bring all the different groups to the table has undoubtedly played a key role in the success of our program,” said Brad Branham, vice president of human resources and public relations at WeylChem. “Our event today gave us an opportunity to share this success with those that are currently shaping and educating our next generation of workers. It’s a win-win for everyone!”
WeylChem was established as the brand name to market advanced building blocks and actives for the agrochemical industry, non-cGMP line products and intermediates for the pharmaceutical industry as well as products for various other fine chemicals markets such as polymers, paper and photographic chemicals. These markets are served by production units in Griesheim/Höchst (Germany) and Elgin/Augusta, SC (USA). A wide range of technologies is handled, allowing WeylChem to flexibly develop and install products whose synthesis involves various and complex reaction pathways. As custom manufacturing is the core of their activities, Weylchem has management structures in place which guarantee the safeguarding of intellectual property and confidentiality. For more information about WeylChem visit www.weylchem.com .
Apprenticeship Carolina™ is a new division of the South Carolina Technical College System that works to ensure all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. These services are available to South Carolina employers free of charge. Interested employers are encouraged to contact Apprenticeship Carolina™ at (803) 896-5287 or to visit www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com .
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