Friday, March 15, 2019

Rochelle's manufacturing training bill wins bipartisan support

State Rep. Kara Rochelle’s proposed legislation received unanimous, bipartisan approval Thursday by the Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement. 

H.B. 5833, An Act Establishing a Pilot Program for the Expansion of Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Programs, will next be voted on by the House this session. 

The bill aims to establish a pilot program to expand advanced manufacturing certificate programs offered by regional community-technical colleges to up to eight public high schools throughout the state. 
Students from the selected school and surrounding high schools will be able to apply and participate in the certificate program, which will be available to students free of cost.  
At Housatonic Community College, this same certificate program costs $8,500. 
Credits earned in Rochelle’s pilot program will count toward both the student’s high school credits and toward the Advanced Manufacturing certificate program. 
The bill also requires night and weekend classes to be available for adults.  
Rochelle, a Democrat, represents Ansonia and Derby.

“I toured the Housatonic Community College Advanced Manufacturing Program a year ago and learned of its efforts to create a first-in-the-state partnership with our own Derby High School. Ever since I have been fiercely dedicated to establishing and expanding access to these certificate programs,” Rochelle said. “I worked tirelessly from the day I was sworn in to author and craft a bill that will give our students and working class residents a real pathway to the training needed to compete for these good paying, middle class jobs in a field with room for advancement.” 

According to the Connecticut Department of Labor, there are over 12,000 open jobs in advanced manufacturing in Connecticut and 30,000 are expected to open over the next 10 years due to a retirement wave.  
Manufacturing is also the third largest growing job sector in Connecticut. It is crucial to strategically invest in workforce training to ensure that this industry is supported.

“I would also like to thank my Derby colleagues Minority Leader Themis Klarides and Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria for recently signing on to support my bill, touring the Derby facility, and producing a video to highlight the program. We need to rebuild, reinvest, and reinvent Connecticut. I am excited to introduce my bill in the House this session and collaborate with colleagues to make this important initiative a reality for our residents,” Rochelle said. 


This is a press release from Rochelle's office.

1 comment:

  1. One thing many companies today are doing is streamlining operations requiring less manufacturing support operations thru DFM.
    Design For Manufacturing , involves CAD based softwares having the ability to design on a 5 axis analysis basis with the ability to upload a completed design part to a 3D printer that will produce that part down to a .0001 ( tenth of a inch or closer) Parts can be made in many available metal or plastic composites.
    THIS IS STATE OF THE ART LEARNING TODAY.
    I'm confident the only machinists needed in the short term for a short time will be individuals building 3D Printers themselves. Eventually 3D printers will be building 3D printers.
    They are now working on an entire automobile using a 3D printer for assembly.

    ReplyDelete