The fourth cohort for Gadsden State Community College’s FAME Chapter signed with their respective companies during a signing ceremony May 19 at the Cheaha Center on the Ayers Campus.
FAME, or the Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education, is an apprenticeship-style program that allows students to attend class on the Ayers Campus two days a week and work three days a week in a local advanced manufacturing facility.
“FAME students have the unique opportunity to work and get experience while receiving instruction,” said Alan Smith, dean of Workforce Development at Gadsden State. “Today, you are signing your golden ticket. If you do everything asked of you by the College and by your employer, you will graduate and immediately start a career making as much as $60,000.”
Smith said 119 people applied for the new cohort of students with only 28 being selected for employment at one of eight industry partners.
“You’re starting off strong,” he said during the signing ceremony. “Stay the course and you’ll have a tremendous amount of earning potential. The rewards when you finish this program are amazing.”
Smith said the Gadsden State FAME Chapter is considered one of the best in the state in large part due to the partnership with East AlabamaWorks, an organization that provides solutions for closing the skills gaps and maximizing workforce efforts to ensure alignment of resources. The partnership was formed from the beginning of the program in 2018.
“Working with industry in Region 2, we heard the challenges they had when it came to filling the pipeline with skilled employees,” said Lisa Morales, director of East AlabamaWorks. “They especially needed industrial automation technicians, so we worked to come up with a solution to fill that need. We knew it could only be done with a strong college partner and we knew we needed Gadsden State to be that partner.”
After five semesters of classroom education and on-the-job training, graduates of the FAME program will receive an Associate in Applied Science in Industrial Automation, a FAME advanced manufacturing technician credential and five Lean Manufacturing credentials.
“One of the best rewards for completing the FAME program is the two years of verified experience you will earn,” Andy Robertson, Gadsden State’s workforce coordinator, said during the signing ceremony. “It’s huge to make money while you’re in school but it’s even better that you get two years of experience.”
To be considered for the FAME program, students must apply and be accepted to Gadsden State, complete a FAME application and write an essay. Qualified applicants then go through an interview process with a panel comprised of 12-15 industry partners. Program participants are then selected by the industry partners in a draft-style process.
“I hope you all know what an honor it is to be accepted into this program,” said Tarina Vannetta, FAME instructor. “You are entering a program that truly is a global-best support system.”
The following students have been selected to participate in the FAME program and work for one of eight world-class industry partners:
Bridgewater Interiors
Aragonn Gauge Mitchell from Randolph County High School
Hunter Lee Johnson from Lincoln High School
Eastman Chemical
Jackson Roberts from Cleburne County High School
GH Metal Solutions
Austin Mulligan from Fyffe High School
Honda of Alabama
Tyshawn Kerley, a graduate of Central High School of Clay County
Jose Arroyo from Munford High School
Noah Monday from Hokes Bluff High School
Trey Lovvorn, a graduate of Gadsden City High School
Brennan Butler from Cleburne County High School
Koch Foods
Evan Owens from Glencoe High School
Justin Lindsey, a graduate of Sand Rock High School
Briteon Husk from Oxford High School
Alexander Cole, a graduate of Sardis High School
Matthew Alexander Galbreath from Glencoe High School
Kronospan
Caden Mitchell from Ranburne High School
Mason Lockridge from Hokes Bluff High School
Madison Wiley from Oxford High School
Nathan Carr from Oxford High School
Kade Alexander Keith, a graduate of Munford High School
Lucas Grant Harcrow from Cleburne County High School
Gavin Mosely from Oxford High School
Kaleb Harman from Ranburne High School
M & H Valve
Michael Carney from Munford High School
Ryan Devon Miller, a graduate of Oxford High School
Prince Metal Stamping
Mackinzy Bonds from Oxford High School
William Roblero from Anniston High School
Tanner Holderfield from Southside High School
Gerardo Rios-Reyes, a student at Oxford High School, was named an alternate. He will start the FAME program in the fall with work placement expected by January 2023.
For more information about the FAME program, visit GadsdenState.edu/FAME.
Original source can be found here.
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