To launch an apprenticeship at your company, please contact AJAC below.
Getting Started
Starting a registered apprenticeship program at your company is a seamless process with the guidance of AJAC’s support staff and services. Employers interested in partnering with AJAC can learn more about our occupations, tuition for apprentices, trade rotation, and onboarding documents.
AJAC's Support Staff
AJAC’s Regional Program Managers work directly with each company to understand their workforce training needs and how they can set-up internal training procedures.
Our experts map training competencies to your shop floor–ensuring apprentices can maximize their learning potential on the job.
AJAC’s Regional Program Managers
![Erin Williams, AJAC](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Erin-Staff-Photo.jpg)
![Amy Suter, AJAC](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Amy-Staff-Photo.jpg)
![Dennis Matson AJAC](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dennis-Photo-Temp.jpg)
![Damian Magista headshot](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Damian-Website-Photo.jpg)
![Makeba Priester, AJAC Regional Program Manager](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Makeba-Priester-Staff-Photo.jpg)
Erin has over ten years of non-profit experience including global healthcare, economic development, and WA State policy. She earned her degree in Communications and Public Relations from the University of San Francisco. After teaching 4th grade in an orphanage in Ghana for a year, she returned to the workforce with a continued passion in helping others. Prior to AJAC Erin was Membership & Events Manager for Washington Business Alliance. During this time Erin focused on advocating for Career and Technical Education and promoting Career Pathways for WA State trades. She joined AJAC in 2017 as a Business Developer and was promoted to Regional Program Manager in 2021. Erin primarily covers the North Sound region extending to Skagit and Whatcom Counties.
Erin served two terms (six years) as a business advocate on the WA State Rehabilitation Council, a Governor-appointed advisory board within the Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation. She volunteers for the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition on the Fundraising and Advocacy Committee. Erin is a Seattle native.
Amy joined AJAC after working with the Seattle Mariners as Manager, Security for nearly seven seasons. While at the Mariners, she oversaw all aspects of the Event Security team to ensure the safety and security for 81 baseball games a year and numerous other events held at T-Mobile Park. This role included the hiring, training, scheduling and development of over 250 Event Security staff every season. Her favorite part of the job was working all the wonderful staff that helped make incredible guest experiences at the stadium,
Prior to the Seattle Mariners Amy spent over 15 years at Microsoft in the Windows and Xbox Gaming Divisions. Her time there brought lots of opportunity with different roles including Software Tester, Test Lead and finally Release Manger.
Amy is also involved with volunteer groups in her community, serving in leadership roles when needed. She is a Washington native having grown up in Puyallup and graduated from Western Washington University. In her free time she can be found playing her favorite video games, camping up at Lake Cushman or planning her next trip to Disneyland.
Dennis joined AJAC after working in the private and public sector in a variety of leadership positions. During his career in the private sector Dennis spent time as a retail manager and regional sales representative focusing on customer service. However, his true passion was education, and he entered public education as a second career. During his tenure in education, he spent time in the classroom as a business and marketing teacher, high school principal, Career Technical Education Director (CTE), and most recently as Principal at Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center (YVTECH) in Yakima.
Dennis returns to Eastern Washington and Spokane where he has lived and resided for several years. He looks forward to working with industry to provide apprenticeship career opportunities for youth and adults in the Spokane region.
Prior to joining AJAC, Damian worked as a member of the Business Services team at the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce. In this role, he managed pre-apprenticeship cohorts and engaged with businesses to assess employment needs, working with stakeholders to create meaningful talent pipelines. Preceding his time at the Chamber of Commerce, Damian spent over nine years in Workforce Development with organizations such as Pacific Mountain WDC, Central City Concern, Portland Community College, and the Art Institutes. He approaches his work with a strategic mindset to identify opportunities and acts with a spirit of entrepreneurship and collaboration.
Damian resides in Olympia, Washington and serves as the Board Chair of the Olympia Film Society. He has a deep love of film and has worked in television on shows for PBS and the Travel Channel.
Makeba joined AJAC after working as a mechanic with Thermoforming Systems (TSL), in Yakima, WA. She completed an Industrial Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship with AJAC during her time with TSL, and also worked on project management and office administration tasks as well. Prior to working in manufacturing, Makeba spent 10 years working in retail management in the Seattle area. She managed a national retail supplement store for several years, where she used her learning in herbal medicine, exercise, and nutrition to help customers get healthier. She also managed other retail locations and enjoyed helping customers, and participating in community events in her positions.
Makeba is looking forward to serving the Central Washington region, and helping employees and businesses train successful journey-level apprentices. She resides in Yakima, WA and In her spare time, she enjoys indoor and outdoor roller skating, and enjoys dressing in costumes and attending comic and cosplay conventions.
Tuition
In Washington State, when you engage in apprenticeship, college tuition is reduced by 50%. In most cases that means AJAC, classes cost around $250-275 per quarter class.
Nearly 60% of AJAC’s employers participate in a tuition-reimbursement program to help apprentices offset the cost of tuition and textbooks.
Employers have the option to pay for their apprentice’s tuition, or reimburse their apprentice’s tuition based on parameters set forth by the hiring employer.
Donate Used Equipment
AJAC’s programs are expanding throughout Washington State. To meet these increasing demands, AJAC is seeking used machining equipment for teaching.
Our apprentices will use this equipment for hands-on learning during their apprenticeship classes. These classes take place at our partnering high school and community/technical college machine shops.
![AJAC | Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeships](https://www.ajactraining.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AJAC_Logo-large-e1645731910255.png)