Twenty students graduated Monday, April 29 from an intensive five-week manufacturing job training program at Gateway Community College (GCC) aimed to help prepare participants for the many unfilled manufacturing positions available in the state.  

The group celebrating their graduation was the second cohort at GCC to complete Skill Up for Manufacturing, a program managed by Workforce Alliance of South Central Connecticut. Skill Up for Manufacturing was developed to provide a free program aimed to quickly train underemployed and unemployed state residents for manufacturing jobs. The program is part of an effort to connect qualified candidates with employment opportunities.

The Skill Up coursework was developed in coordination with manufacturers Penn Globe, PTA Plastics, Wepco Plastics, Inc., Brooks & Whittle Packaging Solutions, as well as the New Haven Manufacturers Association. Students are trained in basic trade knowledge, workplace skills and production readiness. Approximately 50 percent of the graduates already have secured job offers.  

Dr. Rose Ellis, GCC’s Dean of Administrative Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness, welcomed graduates and congratulated them on completing this important step in their educational journey. Graduates are armed with the fundamentals that employers require to fill entry-level manufacturing jobs. Those accepted into the program attend classes for six hours per day, five days per week and job search assistance is available during and after the training program.

Continuing Education Coordinator Victoria Dancy noted that the training that the graduates received is very impactful for economic development in the state. She noted that the students worked with instructors who are passionate leaders and care about seeing them succeed.

Manufacturing Instructors Michael Del Vecchio and Bill Schmalzer offered encouragement to graduates as they prepare to enter new jobs and take on new challenges. Noting that the students made great strides during their time at GCC, Del Vecchio encouraged them to persevere as they embark on this new phase in their careers.

Schmalzer noted that change is constant and the average person now has six jobs at six different companies throughout their career. He said that being adaptable is the key to success in the current climate. Schmalzer noted that a beginner’s mind-set is helpful because it provides an individual with a fresh look at a problem, continually questioning and striving for a better way. 

Class Speaker Juan Melendez said that the group had come a long way during the program, coming away with new knowledge about teamwork, soft skills, math and more. Leaving the program, he now has confidence in his value to a company.