HOOVER – The second Apprenticeship Signing Day event in Shelby County celebrated the launch of three U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

The event was hosted on Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Hoover Public Safety Center off Valleydale Road by 58 INC., Central Six AlabamaWorks! and The Shelby County Chamber.

The apprenticeship programs are in machine tool technology, welding and industrial maintenance, in collaboration with Jefferson State Community College, Lawson State Community College and a consortium of employers from Shelby, Chilton and Jefferson counties.

“This is a perfect example of the opportunities the governor and her office go around the state touting,” said Nick Moore, policy advisor for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office. “It’s about parents and employers getting behind the idea of competency-based education and apprenticeships.”

The first consortium-style US DOL-registered apprenticeship in the Birmingham region was launched in 2018 with eight apprentices in machining. Over the past year, 58 INC., The Shelby County Chamber and Central Six AlabamaWorks! representatives identified additional companies with similar hiring challenges and began meeting to design workforce solutions that address their lack of skilled welders, machinists and industrial maintenance technicians.

Then, candidates were recruited from a pool of recently graduated high school students, adults re-entering the workforce, community college students and those seeking to upskill.

After interviews, apprentices were hired and committed themselves to the training program, which was the step that was celebrated with Signing Day.

Like a collegiate athletics signing event, organizers wished to draw attention to high-demand, skilled trades.

“As employers’ demands for specific skillsets evolve, we will continue to answer with direct programming solutions as we have this year by adding welding and industrial maintenance apprenticeship options in partnership with Central Six AlabamaWorks!,” said Chad Scroggins, 58 INC. Board President.

Matthew Yunke , a 2019 graduate of Helena High School and welding apprentice for Vulcan Materials who will attend Jefferson State, was one of the participants in the event.

“I appreciate Vulcan for giving me an opportunity to kick start my career,” Yunke said. “I’m excited to receive my education while gaining on-the-job experience with Vulcan.”

Keith Brown, president of Jefferson State, said the apprenticeships represent positive steps for the students.

“You are head and shoulders above 90 percent of the students who come to us and say, ‘I don’t know what I want to do,’” Brown said.

Below are names of the apprentices, sorted by the company for which they will work:

O-Flex Metal Finishing

• Charles Carter, Maplesville High School, Jefferson State Community College
• Alex Hodge, Penn Foster High School, Jefferson State Community College

 

EBSCO Sign Group

• Jordon Gore, Chilton County High School, Jefferson State Community College

 

Cahaba Maintenance and Construction

• Francesca Myers, Lincoln West High School, Jefferson State Community College

 

Vulcan Materials

• Matthew Yunke, Helena High School, Jefferson State Community College

 

CMC Metals

• Michael O’Neal, Shelby County High School, Lawson State Community College

 

Process Barron

• Justin Blenkinsop, Cordova High School, Lawson State Community College
• Walter Jones, Thompson High School, Lawson State Community College
• John Rushing, Haughton High School, Lawson State Community College

 

Precision Grinding

• Ben Erwin, Oak Mountain High School, Lawson State Community College
• Dustin Jenkins, Cordova High School, Lawson State Community College
• Kyle Lindley, Oak Grove High School, Lawson State Community College
• Luke Whitaker, Vestavia Hills High School, Lawson State Community College