Apprenticeship Graduation at Blum

The Apprenticeship 2000 program held its graduation ceremony hosted by Max Daetwyler Corporation at Joe Gibbs Racing on August 12th at 6:30 pm. Graduating were five Blum apprentices and eight students from partner companies. They all received an Associates Degree from CPCC, a Journeyman’s Certificate from the state of North Carolina and a full time position at their sponsor company.

For these Apprentices, this graduation is the culmination of four years of hard work in class and on the job. The Apprenticeship 2000 program is run by a group of partner companies to create the technically skilled workers needed by modern manufacturers.

The partner companies that comprise the program itself are: Ameritech Die & Mold, Inc., Blum Inc., Max Daetwyler Corp., Pfaff Molds, Sarstedt, Timken, Central Piedmont Community College and the North Carolina Department of Labor. Each year, Apprenticeship 2000 recruits from 27 high schools in six surrounding counties and from the workforce of participating companies. The program offers training and careers in the following areas: tool and die maker, electronics technician, CNC machinist, mold & plastics technician, machine technician, and welding fabricator.

“Apprenticeships are extremely common in Europe,” said Andreas Thurner, manager of the Apprenticeship Program at Blum Inc. “The European model offers students the opportunity to learn a trade under the guidance of a skilled mentor. We then offer our students the opportunity to work for the company that has taught and supported them throughout their studies. The success of the program speaks for itself. We have an approximate 80% retention rate of graduates after five years.”

With these thirteen graduates, the Apprenticeship 2000 program reached 100 total graduates in the last fifteen years.

All thirteen of the 2010 graduates will begin their professional career at their partner company. “We are thrilled to offer the proper detailed training. These employees have the desire to work and succeed in their chosen industry.” added Mr. Thurner. “By paying for the students’ college tuition and books and offering them a well paid position after graduation, we are loyal to our students in the hope that they will become loyal employees in return.”

Mr. Karl Ruedisser, President of Blum, Inc., added that, “Without the skilled workforce that we have developed through Apprenticeship 2000, we would not be able to maintain and expand our highly automated production facility.”

The 2010 graduates include:

Luke Dellinger Electrician
Phillip Dwayne Gilbert Plastics / Mold Technician
Thomas Martin Fischer Tool and Die Maker
Jesse Ernst Tool and Die Maker
Kai Rumswinkle CNC Machinist

Photo - From left to right: Apprentices Thomas Fischer, Jesse Ernst, Phillip Gilbert, Luke Dellinger and Andreas Thurner, Apprentice Program Manager. (not in photograph: Kai Rumswinkle)