FALL 2023

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THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS INSTITUTE
6363 Oak Tree Boulevard, Independence, OH 44131
TEL 216-241-1482 FAX 216-241-5901 EMAIL info@indfast.org WEB www.indfast.org
IFI BEGINS DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM by Dan Walker, Managing Director
The Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) has announced
it is starting the development of a groundbreaking new
apprenticeship program for machine operators that will be
recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. This program
aims to address the pressing issue of workforce shortage
in the fastener manufacturing industry. With an increasing
number of skilled machine operators retiring each year,
the need to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the
next generation has become critical. IFI has partnered
on the development of the apprenticeship program with
the Marshall University Advanced Manufacturing Center
(MAMC), located in West Virginia. Marshall’s MAMC
is well versed in the development of apprenticeship
programs, having successfully written and implemented
multiple such programs in use across the country today.
“The shortage of workers in fastener manufacturing
will not resolve on its own. With each passing year, our
industry continues to lose skilled machine operators to
retirement, and that knowledge must be passed on to the
next generation,” stated Dan Walker, Managing Director
of IFI. “IFI and its members have decided to roll up our
sleeves and create an apprenticeship program for our
industry to help solve this ongoing problem.”
Under the leadership of IFI’s Chairman, Gene
Simpson of Semblex Corporation, the development of
this program represents a significant collaborative effort.
Simpson stated, “An initiative as important as this needs
to be driven by a group like the IFI. Many companies have
their own programs that work well, but these are individual
efforts with a heavy burden and mixed results. By
leveraging IFI’s collective knowledge and resources with
the help of Marshall University’s Advanced Manufacturing
Center (MAMC) the goal is to create a program that will
create consistency and results for use by the entire
industry.”
MAMC’s Apprenticeship Works, the National
Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Partnership
(www.rcbi.org/apprenticeships), assists companies
nationwide in developing and implementing DOL
Registered Apprenticeships in more than 20 occupations.
Apprenticeship Works is funded entirely through a $4.5
million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor –
Employment & Training Administration.
“We are honored that IFI has chosen our proven
apprenticeship model to help develop a pipeline of skilled
talent for this important manufacturing sector,” said
Derek Scarbro, MAMC’s interim director. “The fastener
industry is a critical link in the supply chains of key
sectors, from automotive and aerospace to defense.
Creating a highly qualified workforce is imperative to
strengthening American manufacturing.”
Unlike IFI’s current member training program, which
primarily consists of webinars and day-long instructor-led
training, the new apprenticeship program will provide a
comprehensive framework for training machine operators.
It will involve a combination of hands-on training in a
company’s own facility, utilizing their equipment and
personnel as mentors for the apprentices. The program
will also incorporate online self-paced learning modules
through a partnership with the IFI and the Workforge
online training system.
Apprenticeship programs offer a structured learning
experience with multiple levels of achievement and wage
progression. Participants are paid to learn and gain
hands-on experience in a production environment under
the guidance of experienced operators.
TECHNICAL ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 128