Barron Industries Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with First Apprenticeship Program

OXFORD, Mich., Nov. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul Patrick is Barron's first-ever registered apprentice. Patrick, 21, of Lapeer, Michigan, has enrolled in the CNC Machining apprenticeship allowing him to obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a nationally-recognized, portable credential. Barron has registered its apprenticeship program with the U.S. Department of Labor to ensure it meets national quality standards.

Barron's four- year CNC apprenticeship includes 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job learning and another 576 hours of classroom instruction. During the training he will earn from $15-$20 per hour. Barron is funding the apprenticeship with the assistance of a $1,800 annual grant through the Michigan Works! Going Pro Skilled Labor Training program.

"I'm very lucky to have this opportunity at Barron Industries," said Patrick. "My professional goal is to become a journeyman and eventually a master so I can teach someone else some day as well as my mentor is teaching me."

Barron's growing business in the space satellite and defense industries are especially exciting to Patrick. Using the investment casting process, the company manufactures engineered metal components for aerospace, defense, energy and other commercial industries.

Patrick's on-the-job training will teach him to operate and program the many types of CNC machines at Barron including mills and lathes, as well as the most advanced 5 Axis CNC machining technology. His classroom instruction at nearby Oakland Community College will include courses in everything from trigonometry to G&M Code and CNC Programming.

With the current skilled labor shortage across the country, Barron hopes to recruit many more employees like Patrick. Over 30 percent of Barron's workforce has been at the company for more than ten years and are approaching retirement age. 

"If we succeed in attracting and training the required people we anticipate a growth rate of 10-15 percent in 2022," said president and CEO Bruce Barron. "However, our true growth potential is inevitably dependent on our ability to attract new skilled workers, and train our incumbent employees." 

The company has been successful in meeting its recruitment and training goals through the assistance of the Michigan Work! Going Pro Talent Fund. In 2021, Barron hired and trained 35 employees for a variety of positions including foundry and mold technicians, metal finishing specialists, CNC machinists, quality control and other general labor. Baron has applied for Going Pro funding to fulfill additional training needs in 2022.

About Barron Industries

Barron Industries is an award-winning full-service manufacturer of precision cast parts, machined components, and complete assemblies. We have customers and manufacturing partners across the globe. Barron offers complete turnkey product manufacturing of components for Aerospace, Defense, Space, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Nuclear, Medical, and other commercial industries. Capabilities include design for manufacturing, rapid prototyping, CNC machining, non-destructive testing, plating, painting, assembly, laser etching, and custom packaging. More than 200 ferrous and non-ferrous alloys poured include Class II armor, stainless steels, tool steels, aluminum, cobalt, and nickel-based alloys. We are AS9100D and NADCAP Accredited for digital radiography, penetrant testing and welding.

SOURCE Barron Industries Inc

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