Elma High School Welcomes first Youth Apprentices

Elma Youth Apprenticeship Signing Day

May 19, 2022

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Grays Harbor County Welcomes First Youth Apprentices During Signing Day Ceremony at Elma High School

On Thursday, May 19th at Elma High School in Elma, Washington, five young men signed their agreements along with their hiring employers to signify the start of their apprenticeship. Youth Apprenticeship Signing Day is more than pen to paper—it’s a celebration of education, industry, community partners, and families coming together to recognize the importance of alternate learning methods that truly prepare young adults for their careers.

These five high school students were hired by local employers including Sierra Pacific Industries, A&R Aviation, and Vaughan Company. The students enrolled in AJAC’s two-year Automation Technician program which includes 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 150 hours of college-level classroom instruction. The Youth Apprentices will take their classes during the day while working part-time during the school year, and full-time over the summer.

This is the first Youth Apprenticeship program to launch in Grays Harbor County, and 14th school district to offer AJAC’s Youth Apprenticeship since 2017. To date, over 150 AJAC Youth Apprentices have signed on with local employers across Washington State representing many industries including aerospace, food processing, wood and paper, plastics, semiconductors, and more. To learn more about this program, please visit our Youth Apprenticeship web page.

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