Rochester Technology & Manufacturing Association
The RTMA is the Regional Sponsor of the New York State Registered Apprenticeship Program for the greater Rochester and Finger Lakes regions. This covers nine counties, including Monroe, Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, and Orleans. The RTMA currently features 15 advanced manufacturing trades for over 150 apprentices at more than two dozen signatory companies – making it one of the largest group sponsorships in New York State.
01.
Skills Gap
To address the skills and labor gap in the greater Rochester and Finger Lakes regions, the RTMA launched the Intermediary Apprenticeship Program in 2018. This assists companies throughout the region as they cope with “The Great Resignation” as a result of the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic and an aging workforce. The Apprenticeship Program allows employees to “earn while you learn,” receive no-cost related instruction and receive wage escalation throughout their journeys. Apprenticeships are higher education.
In order to better develop the pipeline for advanced manufacturing, the RTMA collaborated with Monroe Community College in 2019 to develop the Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP). This one-of-a-kind program pairs high school juniors and seniors with job shadows and paid co-ops at local advanced manufacturing companies. FLYAP partners with every BOCES and Career & Technical Education high school and dozens of businesses throughout the nine-county region. To date, more than 100 companies and over 400 students have participated in the program.
02.
Solution
The RTMA is the sole intermediary between the business community and the New York State Department of Labor. The Association’s Director of Workforce Development handles all formal registration documentation and coordinates all aspects of the program. The RTMA also monitors apprentices every few months and personally connects them to related instruction providers and other resources.
03.
Related Instruction
The related instruction for advanced manufacturing trades are up to 144 credit hours per year which is the equivalent of two college courses a year. Instruction is provided by the following providers:
- Monroe Community College
- Genesee Community College
- Finger Lakes Community College
- Tooling U-SME
- OptiPro
- CNC Technical Solutions
- Monroe 2-BOCES Center for Workforce Development
The RTMA Apprenticeship Coordinator will cut any red tape, and coordinate all the related instruction for you, the manufacturer employer.