Symmetrix Awarded Workplace Apprenticeship Grant

Symmetrix Composite Tooling was awarded the Non-Traditional Apprenticeship Development Grant by the Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island. With the help of Apprenticeship Rhode Island, Symmetrix is designing an in-house workplace development program that will include both in-house and off-site instruction.

As the grant outlined, “considered to be outside of the skilled trades, Non-trade apprenticeships are increasingly being recognized as effective pathways towards careers that offer family-sustaining wages and pathways from entry level to middle skilled or professional careers. The Apprenticeship model is now being utilized around the country in non-traditional occupational areas.”  Our non-traditional application is composite tooling. The craftsmen at Symmetrix must have competency in both digital fabrication on a large scale as well as old school composite tooling techniques. Through collaborations with our vendors, local trade schools, industry associations, and instruction from our in-house experts, Symmetrix craftsmen will have in-depth education in all aspects of our production process.

“The program has two goals. The first is to develop our team of craftsmen so we can better support our customer. The second is to show a pathway of advancement to our team members based on knowledge, skill, and repetition,” says John Barnitt, Symmetrix President.

The grant from the Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island will go towards writing the program’s curriculum. Symmetrix hopes to have the program up and running by fall.