Novelis disclosed a long term commitment to the Cayuga Community College’s Fulton campus to launch an Advanced Manufacturing Institute, including an industrial maintenance technician program and an advanced laboratory and training center.
Funded in part by an $80,000 endowment by Novelis, the institute’s mission will be to equip students with manufacturing skills to develop a robust talent pool that will be required to fill the many jobs expected to be brought to the Central New York region.
Novelis and other manufacturers are facing an urgent need in identifying and recruiting qualified personnel as these companies seek to grow in the region. An industry research report from Deloitte Manufacturing Institute concluded that the average time to fill an open position for skilled production coworkers in the US has now reached 70 days. In light of this employment gap, Novelis’ commitment to Cayuga Community College will include a newly developed internship program incorporated into the requirements for the industrial maintenance technician program.
“We anticipate needing to fill upwards of 250 operating technician and maintenance technician positions at our Oswego plant over the next 5 years as a result of growth and anticipated retirements,” said Chris Smith, plant manager at Novelis Oswego. “This new facility at Cayuga Community College will provide career pathways for local applicants seeking careers in manufacturing while enabling our Oswego plant to continue to support the needs of our North American automotive customers.”
The industrial maintenance technician program will incorporate hands-on training in laboratories that Novelis will also utilize to train its own employees along with students of the college.
Novelis’ commitment also includes:
- Equipment to replicate processes found in manufacturing environments.
- Leveraging Novelis’ network of vendors to commit discounted lab stations and discounted or in-kind contributions to the construction and maintenance of the lab.
- Utilization of Novelis’ subject matter experts during the lab construction set-up and specialty equipment operation, as well as in the design of the Novelis internship program.
- Representation on Cayuga Community College’s applicable curriculum advisory committees, allowing faculty and staff to tap in to Novelis’ industry-specific expertise.
Novelis’ efforts identifying and recruiting qualified personnel will play a critical role as Oswego County continues its efforts to attract and retain a diverse, high-quality workforce to foster economic development and regional support systems.
Published in the March 2016 Edition of American Recycler News