The IMT Apprenticeship Program: A Cost-Effective Alternative for Employers to Train Their Teams

• Patti Gander
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MSCA is pleased to offer our members the FloridaMakes Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) Registered Apprenticeship Program.  As one of the first statewide registered apprentice programs focused on entry-level manufacturing skills for new and existing employees, the IMT Apprenticeship Program is a competency-based, cost-effective alternative for employers to train their employees to their own standards. Through mentorship and technical instruction, employees receive on-the-job training to learn necessary skills while earning a paycheck. This new program addresses entry-level skills gaps and provides foundational manufacturing knowledge regardless of the specific occupation, which will help give apprentices the tools they need to move on to more specific occupations. It also provides online, on-demand flexible access for students with lifestyle, work schedules and geographical barriers that often prohibit participation in traditional “classroom” offerings.

Apprenticeships have proven to build employee loyalty, reduce the cost of training, attract more applicants and improve productivity within an organization. By providing on-the-job training, related online instruction and guaranteed wage structures, employers who sponsor apprentices provide incentives to attract and retain more highly qualified employees and improve productivity. Plus, certifications earned through registered apprenticeship programs are recognized nationwide and typically articulate to college credits.

The Industrial Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship (IMT) Program was designed through a sector strategy approach led by multiple employers within the industry, represented within the Florida Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Leadership Council (AMWLC), in collaboration with FloridaMakes, CareerSource Florida, the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Career and Adult Education, and the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC).

This new program accelerates the training period based on the apprentice’s mastery of skills and competency vs. traditional time-based programs. The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council’s (MSSC), our training partner, will deliver the related Certified Production Technician training curriculum through online, on-demand access to the foundational new approach to bring Florida’s manufacturers a hybrid training model. The IMT program was officially approved as a registered apprenticeship program by the Florida Department of Education on Friday, April 17, 2020

Key Features of Apprenticeship Programs:

Paid Job: Apprentices are paid employees who produce high-quality work while they learn skills that enhance their employers’ needs. 

On-the-Job Learning: Develops skilled workers through structured learning in a work setting. 

Nationally recognized curriculum: Improves job-related skills through education delivered virtually online and on-demand.

Mentorship: Provides apprentices with the support of a skilled worker in the workplace to assist and enhance critical hands-on learning. 

Credentials: Offers a portable, nationally recognized credential to be issued at the completion of the program is a foundation for multiple career pathways as well as college academic credits

IMT Program Details

Program Cost: MSCA MEMBERS $950 PER APPRENTICE; NON-MEMBERS $1200

• 200 online curriculum hours based on the MSSC Certified Production Technician 4.0; four Modules: Safety Awareness; Quality Practices & Management; Manufacturing Processes & Production and Maintenance Awareness
• 12-month or 2,000-hour apprenticeship on-the-job training provides a guided training program for workers in their work environment to:
• Set up, operate, monitor and control production equipment
• Help improve manufacturing processes
• Understand manufacturing as an integrated business system
• Efficiently and safely manage raw materials/consumables
• Courses are taken on-demand and not tied to ”classroom” scheduling

At the completion of the required on-the-job hours and curriculum the apprentice will earn a State of Florida issued, nationally recognized Industrial Manufacturing Technician certification.  Apprentices are encouraged but not required to take Assessment testing to earn national certifications relevant to the program. The IMT program is eligible for a Certified Production Technician Certification. The CPT certification articulates to 15 college credits with the Florida State College Systemin manufacturing related degrees.

For more information please contact Patti Gander at patti.gander@floridamakes.com  or Tina Berger, FloridaMakes Director of Talent Development at tina.berger@floridamakes.com.