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IPC achieved a landmark in 2023 by creating an apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. With such a registered framework in place, industry can work through IPC to secure local, state, and federal dollars for workforce development in a way they’ve never been able to do before. Cory Blaylock, director of workforce partnerships at IPC, has been instrumental in developing and moving this program toward adoption and outlines what companies need to know to get involved.
Michelle Te: IPC is not just embracing a change in the revolution of workforce development but driving it as well. What is behind IPC’s efforts?
Cory Blaylock: There has been a solution in the industry for developing talent that offers career pathways, giving employers what they want as well as catering to developing employees. IPC wants to be the one owning it because we're representing everybody in electronics manufacturing.
Apprenticeships, and workforce development, in general, are not user-friendly in their current state. There's a lot of nuance and things that people don't know or understand unless they work in it every day. They may not understand what's required for a registered apprenticeship concerning the rules and regulations of the Department of Labor. We’ve worked through all the red tape so it could be utilized without having to go through all the rigamarole.
Te: Can you define an apprenticeship?
Blaylock: An apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model. Traditionally, we think of apprentices in jobs like plumbing and HVAC. IPC is joining that space to expand and diversify pathways into good jobs and careers in advanced manufacturing.
Continue reading this article in the February 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine.
