Preparing Tomorrow’s Manufacturing Workforce
SJVMA has become the one-stop-shop for educators to learn about what the industry needs and connect with manufacturers to help design relevant curricula and programs. We work with our manufacturers to provide work-based learning opportunities for students and externships for instructors.
Internships
Work-based learning is one of the most important components of building the manufacturing workforce pipeline – with benefits for both the student and the employer. SJVMA works with our regional educators and students – as well as with workforce re-entry and remediation candidates – and our manufacturing members to help facilitate internships.
Internships are a great way for students to learn about applying their classroom knowledge into real-world skills, and often will be a student’s first exposure to the world of employment. They learn about manufacturing operations as well as the valuable interpersonal skills required for being a part of a team and the responsibilities of employment.
The companies taking on interns have the opportunity to train a student from the bottom up. In many cases, these interns become long term employees of the companies they intern with.
We partner with several different types of organizations to facilitate internships:
- K-12 – Generally for students in manufacturing-related pathway or ROP programs
- Community College – Often for skilled trade-related positions
- University – These are primarily professional level internships for engineering and operations level positions
- Re-entry or Remediation – Programs through the Workforce Development Board, Veteran’s Administration or criminal justice programs to increase employability of the unemployed or under-employed
Externships
Technology is changing the entire manufacturing industry rapidly. The practical application of classroom knowledge is invaluable for instructors also.
We are bringing instructors out of the classroom and onto manufacturing floors to keep them up-to-date on new technologies and operations practices to keep classroom curricula relevant to what companies need.
These externships are generally 40 hours over a couple of weeks with our member manufacturing companies.
If you are an instructor who is interested in coordinating an externship opportunity, please contact Genelle Taylor Kumpe.
Our Education Partners
SJVMA is working collaboratively with many of our regional education institutions to develop a world-class workforce ecosystem. The partnerships that have been developed are inspiring, and we thank our educators for striving to build relevant and strong curricula to prepare confident, life- and career-ready graduates who are invaluable to the success of the San Joaquin Valley.
