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AMSEC Apprenticeship Program Moving Full-Speed Ahead
AMSEC LLC Apprenticeship Program in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area is going strong, with 15 students successfully completing their first college classes at Tidewater Community College (TCC) and have registered for five new classes for the upcoming semester. We began the AMSEC Apprentice and Career Studies Program in August 2009 for East Coast Maintenance, Modernization & Technical Services (MMTS) employees. This unique program is one of a kind in our industry – no other company offers anything similar, unless they are a shipyard.
The fifteen apprentices completing their first year are:
Dario Aguilera, Garrett Barber, Melvin Copney, Ricardo Cruz, Jeffrey Daley, Larry Johnson, Thomas Johnson, Gordon Kerr, Barry Lipscomb, James Mullins, Anthony Quinn, Benjamin Reinhardt, Ronald Robinson, David Roderiques, and Henry White, Jr.
The Apprenticeship Program is a four-year program which includes both college level technical courses and on-the-job training. The program provides the opportunity for current AMSEC employees to obtain a nationally recognized Journeyman worker license and a career studies certificate in their trade from TCC. If the employee chooses to continue at the college, he or she may earn a Career Studies Certificate in their desired trade or an Associates Degree in Maritime Technologies through AMSEC’s partnership with TCC. The Apprenticeship Program is currently open for apprenticeship as an Electrician, Mechanic, Elevator Repairer, and Hull Technician. Welder/Pipefitter will be available in the fall of 2010.
Each apprentice will be required to complete 8000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 Apprentice Related Instruction (ARI) hours. Many apprentices will be awarded on-the-job training hours for previous work experience, as well as ARI hours for previous college or military credit. AMSEC has partnered with TCC to provide the required ARI hours which include management, technical writing, and team-building courses in conjunction with their trade-related courses. AMSEC is proud to have highly qualified employees, and with certifications and licensure, we will be a cut-above the competition.
A second group of Hampton Roads employees will be selected to enroll in the Apprenticeship Program in the summer of 2010. All AMSEC Hampton Roads employees are eligible to apply. Some of the basic requirements to apply include, being recommended by your Program Manager, be a current AMSEC employee with at least one year of service, have a satisfactory performance evaluation, be a U.S. Citizen, and have a high school diploma or GED.
We expect to kick off a third group of apprentices in the fall of 2010 for West Coast employees. AMSEC is currently working with Olympic College in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) area and with San Diego College in San Diego, California to set up programs there. Watch for more information on the Apprenticeship Program in the near future. If you are interested in applying for this terrific program, you can obtain an application by contacting Sharon Minchala or Susan Lowthian at (757) 463-6666.