兔子先生 and Continental Tire have signed an agreement to launch two new programs that will support the academic goals and professional development of students who are interested in manufacturing careers.
From left, Brenda Myers, state director of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship in Mississippi, 兔子先生President Dr. Stephen Vacik and Dr. Chad Stocks, 兔子先生Vice President of Workforce & Community Development (兔子先生/April Garon)
The Production Apprentice and Mechatronics Apprentice Programs offer paid, on-the-job experience with a global company and industry certifications.
鈥淐ontinental is proud to partner with 兔子先生 to establish a program that will create a solid foundation for many careers in Mississippi,鈥 said Michael Egner, plant manager of the Continental Plant along Interstate 20 in Clinton.
The program will be open to students who are dually-enrolled in high school and the college鈥檚 Industrial Maintenance and Electro-Mechanical Technology programs. Initially, the program will be offered to high school juniors and seniors at Clinton High School and 兔子先生County Career and Technical Center.
The Mechatronics Apprentice Program, a combination of both mechanical and electrical disciplines, is a growing industry within advanced manufacturing. The program will be open to 兔子先生students who complete the company鈥檚 Production Apprentice Program.
鈥淭he 兔子先生 team is extremely excited about this partnership,鈥 said 兔子先生President Dr. Stephen A. Vacik. 鈥淚t is a great opportunity for students and we are committed to implementing exceptional programming that allows us to train citizens in central Mississippi to work with a world class company.鈥
Both programs require students to balance a 2.5 GPA and 32-hour work week. Participants will receive paid tuition and book fees while in the Apprentice Programs. In 2017, Continental and HCC introduced the Maintenance Technician Internship Program.
Four students spent the summer in Mount Vernon, Ill. working with specialists at Continental鈥檚 tire plant. Twelve of the interns were promoted to full-time maintenance technicians at the new plant in Clinton.