Alamance Community College (ACC) hosted a combined ceremony on August 15 to recognize five apprentice graduates and two new high school students signing to start their apprenticeship programs.

 

Alamance County’s apprenticeship program, known as the Career Accelerated Program (CAP), is a four-year apprenticeship consortium between local manufacturing companies, ACC and the Alamance-Burlington Schools (ABSS). High school students who apply are matched with a company and begin the process of training for their future careers. Students earn a paycheck on the job as soon as they begin the apprenticeship program while taking college classes working toward an Associate in Applied Science degree. The graduates also earn specialized certification and experience. Tuition, books, and fees for all apprentices are covered by most companies, allowing the students to graduate debt-free.

 

Since the program’s inception in 2017, 51 ABSS students have participated in an apprenticeship program, 12 are currently involved in an apprenticeship, and 23 have graduated. Business partners who are offering, or have offered, apprenticeships are Fairystone Fabrics, Glen Raven, Elevate Textiles, Indulor, MSI Inc, AKG, GKN, Sandvik, ECI/RegO, IntraPac, Shawmut, Flynt Amtex, and ABB.

 

“The work we’re doing every single day at the college is connecting the community to the workforce,” said ACC President Dr. Ken Ingle. “Every day we are providing opportunities that you can take from where you are and go as far as you possibly can through education.”

 

nathan huffines and group

(Above) Graduating apprentice Nathan Huffines with (from left) Alamance Chamber President Reagan Gural, RED TIE, ABSS Superintendent Aaron Fleming, and ACC President Dr. Ken Ingle.

 

At the August 15 celebration, five student apprentices graduated from the program after working at companies as follows:

  • Zeke Peyton – Engineered Controls International (ECI/Rego)
  • Nathan Huffines – GKN Automotive
  • Victor Melgar - IntraPac
  • Wyatt Willard – GKN Automotive
  • Darrius Ray - Glen Raven

 

zeke peyton and group

(Above) Graduating apprentice Zeke Peyton with (from left) Alamance Chamber President Reagan Gural, RED TIE, ABSS Superintendent Aaron Fleming, and ACC President Dr. Ken Ingle.

 

All five graduates worked full-time as apprentices while earning their associate degrees from ACC. They are now fully employed with their respective apprenticeship companies.

 

Two high school students who are incoming freshmen at ACC also formally signed agreements with ApprenticeshipNC to begin their apprenticeships:

  • Matthew Ryan Eddins – Williams High student signing with Machine Specialties Inc. (MSI)
  • Owen Mann – Southern Alamance High student signing with MSI

 

eddins with simmons

(Above) Newly signed apprentice Matthew Ryan Eddins with (left) Chris Harrington, Director of ApprenticeshipNC and Rob Simmons, CEO of MSI.

 

owen mann and simmons

(Above) New apprentice Owen Mann with (left) Dr. Chris Harrington, Director of ApprenticeshipNC and Rob Simmons, CEO of MSI.

 

Both Eddins and Mann recently successfully completed their six-week pre-apprenticeships with MSI, and now begin their respective four-year apprenticeships while earning their ACC associate degrees.

 

Approximately 40 were in attendance to celebrate the apprentices’ graduation and signings, held at the College’s Biotechnology Center of Excellence building on campus.

 

Speakers included: 

  • Ken Ingle, President of Alamance Community College
  • Chris Harrington, Director of ApprenticeshipNC
  • Aaron Fleming, incoming Superintendent of Alamance-Burlington Schools
  • Eddie Gant Jr., Chairman of Apprentice Alamance
  • Reagan Gural, President of Alamance Chamber of Commerce
  • Kevin Szostak, Director of Economic Development Projects with Alamance Chamber
  • Tammy Simmons, Machine Specialties, Inc. (MSI)