Fierce competition for skilled employees has prompted Wayne Farms and the Alabama Community College System to develop the state’s first accredited workforce development apprenticeship program. The education and industry partnership between Wayne Farms and two area community colleges was developed to focus on hard-to-fill mechanical, electrical and technical positions. The matching programs at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College and Enterprise State Community College will work directly with Wayne Farms to implement the new Mechatronics degree, with students completing a two-year syllabus of classroom instruction in tandem with on-the-job paid technical internships.
According to Matt Rodgers, President of ESCC, “Community colleges play a critical role in workforce development because we must see workforce needs and ensure our students are highly trained and certified to meet those needs.”