First Graduate Completes Tegra Medical’s Toolmaker Apprentice Program

While Massachusetts sees a shortage of employees for advanced manufacturing jobs, Tegra Medical is creating its own skilled workforce with the Toolmaker Apprentice Program.

The four-year program is implemented in Tegra Medical’s Franklin, Massachusetts location and may be extended to other locations. It accepts two students who are required to enroll in engineering programs at local colleges; Tegra pays their tuition and a salary, then promotes them to journeyman toolmaker positions upon graduation.

Apprentices spend 40 hours per week in the GENESIS Tech Center® for prototyping and product development. They learn all aspects of machining including how to plan a machining job, how to program the machines and how to perform CAD drawing and solid modeling. At least 95% of the apprentices’ time at Tegra Medical is spent on the job, concurrent with their college course load.

“We put apprentices right into the thick of things at our GTC,” said Brian Rua, Director of Support Services and the apprentice program manager. “Here, the apprentices are exposed to every kind of machining we do. They’re working on real projects, and learning from all the engineers, toolmakers, maintenance, quality and program managers who are refining customers’ medical device designs and figuring out the most efficient ways to manufacture them.”

The first graduate of the apprentice program, Antonio Bettencourt, received his certificate in April. The second graduate, Nick Voyer, is due to complete the program in July.

Source: Tegra Medical, Inc.

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