Category: Youth Apprenticeship

January 11, 2024

January 10, 2024

September 1, 2023

February 20, 2023

May 26, 2022

July 20, 2021

The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) invited AJAC and Tool Gauge to their Factory Friday Tour event to discuss workforce training solutions including registered apprenticeship programs for advanced manufacturing. The…

May 7, 2021

  Tracey Turcotte, AJAC’s Youth Apprenticeship Manager held an information session for prospective Youth Apprentices interested in joining our programs for the 2021-2022 school year. AJAC currently operates two registered…

April 2, 2021

Meet Connor Snell, a Production Technician (Youth Apprentice) through the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC). Connor launched his career in manufacturing after receiving an offer from WEMCO, Inc., a Spokane-based…

February 26, 2021

Hector Martinez enrolled in AJAC’s two-year Automation Technician (Youth) Apprenticeship program in 2019 after receiving an offer from Yakima Chief Hops. Hector went to Toppenish High School and was also…

February 23, 2021

America’s youngest workers, particularly young adults of color, are facing the most dire employment prospects since the Great Depression. As our nation looks toward recovery, and policymakers and investors seek…

October 2, 2020

Meet Noah Retallic, a 17 year-old Automation Technician Youth Apprentice through the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC). Noah enrolled in the Youth Apprenticeship in Spring 2020 and immediately began his…

May 15, 2020

AJAC hosted two Youth Apprenticeship Webinars to better connect students, parents, and counselors with our next cohorts kicking off Summer 2020. During the webinars we discuss the following: program benefits,…

February 26, 2020

Meet LaDante Weems—a formerly incarcerated youth and now graduate of the AJAC Juvenile Rehabilitation Manufacturing Academy program—tells his story on becoming a full-time employee at Tech Marine. We at AJAC…

July 11, 2019

On June 28, 2019, nearly 100 newly registered Youth Apprentices from across Washington State celebrated the beginning of their apprenticeship at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. Signing Day brought…

June 6, 2019

It’s six in the morning at Tool Gauge, a Tacoma, Washington manufacturer that creates complex, high-quality plastic and metal parts and assemblies for the global aerospace industry. In walks a…

February 26, 2019

Over the last year, the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee has partnered with the Northwest Automotive Service Association and Independent Technicians Automotive Committee (ITAC) to council and guide their new General…

February 18, 2019

New Video Provides a Cinematic Look at Registered Youth Apprenticeship in Washington State. SEATTLE, WA-Washington State Governor Jay Inslee calls it the “supply train for the supply chain”. Aerospace and…

October 26, 2018

During a private meeting at Cadence Aerospace, Governor Inslee and his staff met with representatives from the aerospace manufacturer, AJAC and current Youth Apprentices to discuss how the registered Youth…

July 3, 2018

On June 27, 2018, 67 newly registered Youth Apprentices signed their letter of agreement signifying a commitment to work in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries through the  Aerospace Joint…

May 7, 2018

Seth Hamilton was nearing his 17th birthday and knew he wasn’t going to college. His after-high-school plans did not involve a four-year institution. Rising student loans and lack of finances…

February 1, 2018

Apprenticeships are not an alternative to higher education. It is higher education. This sentiment rang loud and true during the 2018 Governor’s Youth Apprenticeship Summit, which in its second year,…

January 10, 2018

Governor Inslee delivered his annual State of the State Address to the Washington State Senate and the State House of Representatives on January 9, 2018. During his speech, Governor Inslee…

January 9, 2018

A new report performance audit for Washington State emphasizes the state’s need to better align high-growth, high-demand occupations with career and technical education (CTE) courses currently offered in high school.…

December 12, 2017

On October 16, 2017, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee met with the partners, community organizations and local-area employers to discuss how the first year of Youth Apprenticeship has gone. The…

November 29, 2017

On October 6, 2017, students from the Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) toured Gensco, Inc. as part of Manufacturing Day. Manufacturing Day is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire…

October 12, 2017

What does it mean to work in manufacturing? For some, they see it as an industry booming with innovative ideas and state-of-the-art technology. For others, they see engineers and machinists…

July 7, 2017

Washington STEM, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and AJAC gave a joint presentation on all-things Youth Apprenticeship during a live webinar on June 26, 2017. Josie Bryan…

June 29, 2017

In partnership with the Office of the Governor, the Workforce Board, WSU Extension, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington STEM traveled across the state to explore…

May 3, 2017

Yakima’s West Valley High School was given the baton last week to launch their first AJAC Youth Apprenticeship program. High school juniors Trevor Mackey, Osborne Rogers, and Bradley Ethier individually…

April 10, 2017

All eyes were on Pacific Machine last week as the city of Tacoma ushered in a new era of career-connected learning. The decade-old mindset of ‘every student should attend a…

March 13, 2017

AJAC’s Youth Apprenticeship program continues to garner attention across our region as the first group of students prepare to begin their apprenticeship in high school. Seth Hamilton, one of our…

February 16, 2017

AJAC was honored to receive PNAA’s “Inspire” award during the annual Aerospace Conference in Lynnwood, Washington. AJAC’s Executive Director, Lynn Strickland accepted the award during the Aerospace Excellence Awards Banquet.…

January 26, 2017

From left to right: Jody Robbins (L&I), Ron Langrel (Bates Technical College), Lynn Strickland (AJAC), John Altman (Governor’s Office) and Tom Layson (KBTC) The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) was…

January 23, 2017

From left to right: John Page from Tacoma Public School, Kristi Grassman, AJAC, Lynn Strickland, AJAC, Jesse Cote from IAM 751 and Sandra Husbands, L&I at the Washington Apprenticeship Training Council…

November 4, 2016

(From left to right) Governor Jay Inslee, Lynn Strickland and Jesse Milbrath Over the last two years, the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, the…