Kasey Lorance
In Ventura, CA, Kasey Lorance has found her calling in an unexpected place - the sheet metal industry. The apprenticeship program, typically five years long, was condensed to four and a half years for Kasey due to her prior experience. The structure of the program, combining classroom instruction with on-the-job training, resonated with her. "This style of learning, where it's a lot more in-class, hands-on, you're directly using the things that you are learning in class in your day-to-day work and seeing how it impacts and why it is useful... it just held my attention better," she says.
For Kasey, the driving force behind committing to a multi-year apprenticeship was the desire for a stable, fulfilling career. "I was really looking for a career. I was tired of just having jobs that I wasn't very passionate about, that I was barely making ends meet doing something that I didn't want to do anyways," she explains. The apprenticeship offered not just a job, but a pathway to long-term career growth and stability.
Reagan Andree
The Hanwha Philly Shipyard offers hands-on training and valuable industry experience for workers through its registered apprenticeship programs. The Keystone Development Partnership (KDP), through the Partnership for Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship (PAMA) grant program, has supported the Shipyard’s apprenticeship program for several years. At the Philly Shipyard, Reagan is forging a new career path as a welding apprentice in United Association Plumbers Local 690. Approaching her first full year in a three-year program, Reagan's experience offers valuable insights into the world of modern apprenticeships and the transformative impact they can have on individuals and industries alike.
The union plays a significant role in supporting apprentices like Reagan. "The union has been very helpful… if we get injured or if anything happens. They are there to support us and help us through whatever goes on. They back us up like 100% of the time," she explains.
Nikki Miller
Nikki Miller is changing the course of her career while learning valuable skills.
Miller is an apprentice at the Mack Trucks Lehigh Valley Operations in Macungie, Pa. Employing about 2,700 people, the facility produces heavy-duty trucks for the North American market and for export outside the United States.
“This has been an incredible opportunity, and I’m glad I was part of it,” said Miller, who has been in the electrical apprenticeship for more than two years.