the management team saw that I had the skill set to lead training (the perfect role for me). One of the other apprentices is now a team leader in charge of 15 production machinists; the other is in a team leader/engineer hybrid role supervising four production machinists.


Advantages for Employees Apprenticeships are a risk-free, debt-free way to get skills and education. It’s a beautiful model: You show up at work, do your normal duties, and the company pays you to learn while you are working. There are also fi nancial advantages. Journeymen complet-


ing the program earn at least $18 per hour, 50% more than minimum entry-level pay of $12 per hour. According to the DOL guidelines, pay increases are given at specifi c benchmarks. We offer other rewards as well. Each time an apprentice completes a year of training, in addition to a pay increase, the apprentice earns a cash bonus check ($100 in fi rst year, $200 in second, $300 in third) and an extra 40 hours (fi ve days) of vacation time.


An important advantage is that apprentices come out with


DOL credentials, objective third-party credentials recognized at any facility. This becomes a trustworthy, transferable piece of paper.


Additionally, in most cases, the program will transfer to


college credit. For those taking college courses, Cox offers 100% reimbursement for tuition and books. We are now taking this to another level. This past sum-


mer, Bill Cox set an agenda to fi nd a college to partner with us in creating a formal path from apprenticeship to college degree. We are in the middle of that process and expect to identify a partner in 2017.


Advantages for the Manufacturer The biggest advantages for a company implementing an


apprenticeship program are related to culture and retention. Our turnover has been on a downward trend the last two


years. It’s an investment in the future. This type of program helps with employee engagement. The workforce feels like the company is invested when it sees the leaders doing what they say such as providing pay raises on time or giving a bonus with each benchmark. It also helps us reach younger employees. The average


journeyman is around 55 years old and approaching retire- ment age. An apprenticeship program helps train Millenni-


als and others so they are ready to fi ll the gap when older employees leave the workforce. Quality benefi ts as well. We’ve seen manufacturers


who don’t invest in training get set back when a $15,000 or $30,000 part order is rejected. It’s hard to recover from that—and then another hits. Proper training is a critical part of customer satisfaction.


Four Tips We have learned a lot since we started the program. For companies interested in setting up apprenticeship programs, we offer four tips: Be proactive. Allocate time and budget for a training co-


ordinator who manages the program. Cox learned there was little progress when a team leader is running a department and managing the program. Seek expert help. Spend the time fi guring out the DOL


requirements and how to set up and manage the program. They are a great resource. Provide benchmarks. Build a plan for each apprentice so they know what to expect related to wage increases. Also, build in some incentive “pops” to break up the monotony (such as extra vacation time after the fi rst year or a bonus at the end of year two).


Get involved in the community. With our President Bill Cox taking the lead, we are heavily involved with local manufac- turing groups, educators and others. We share our expertise with the community and offer career opportunities while identifying prospective apprenticeship candidates and other employees.


At Cox, we’ve seen fi rsthand our apprenticeship program


grow to a state-of-the-art model that can compete with other businesses and programs across the country. Other manu- facturers have the opportunity to build their own pipeline with a similar apprenticeship program to create engaged employ- ees and a thriving company.


Sean Althaus is the training coordinator at Cox Manufacturing Co. Inc., San Antonio, TX. Althaus oversees 34 employees in the apprentice- ship program, the same program he entered himself in 2010 when he joined Cox as a machinist. An Army veteran, Althaus spent a year working in a metal shop in Iraq. He is a San Antonio native.


April 2017 | AdvancedManufacturing.org 87


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