Apprentices cutlines

Apprentices

These employees graduated apprenticeship training last month and are now applying their trades as journeymen.

Apprentice Rollins

Scott Rollins received the Outstanding Apprentice of the Class Certificate from Dennis Weddle, deputy program manager for electronics.

APPRENTICES COMPLETE TRAINING PROGRAM

By Bill Bartkus
Photos by Joe Feliciano
NAVAIR Depot North Island

Call it a new beginning for 19 persons who started working for NAVAIR Depot North Island several years ago as apprentices. Now, they are journey-level artisans and applying their trades at the Depot.

During a commencement exercise last month at Flag Circle, the “Class of 2006” received their completion certificates from NAVAIR Depot North Island Executive Officer CAPT Michael Kelly.

“This is not a hand up nor a hand out, but an opportunity” said CAPT Kelly to program and competency managers, supervisors, families and friends of the apprentices who attended the 30-minute graduation ceremony. “This is an achievement.”

Fernando Ramirez, Depot Industrial Production Department director, whose job it is to operate the apprentice program among his many duties, thanked the program managers for attending the ceremony. “The program managers are my customers with respect to the apprentice program. They make the decisions to hire apprentices,” he said.

Ramirez mentioned that the Depot Apprentice Program stopped in 1991 because of downsizing efforts. However, a few years ago, a Depot team resurrected the program because it was pivotal to replenishment of the workforce.” He said that the primary reason for the program was to home grow Depot artisans and to do this in such a way that apprentices would finish the program with all the necessary skills needed to be successful artisans.

Speaking directly to the apprentices, Ramirez said, “This is a career. This is long term. Many of you will become the future leaders at the Depot. We look forward to you working on the product not only as fully-qualified journey-level artisans but also becoming part of the management leadership ranks in the future.”

“Folks don’t get fired, they get hired,” said CAPT Kelly referring to “The Apprentice,” the NBC-TV program. “It’s up to the efforts of the individual to achieve. Today, we are here to help you celebrate your achievement.”

The Executive Officer told the gathering that the Depot is the fourth largest maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) shop in both North and South America. “So you are beginning a legacy for the future,” he said to the graduates.

Electronics mechanic Scott Rollins received the Outstanding Apprentice Award. His classmates included machinist Davis Blas; sheet metal mechanics Keith Herrick, Mark Watts, Adam Candela, Lisa St. Mary, and Dennis Lee; aircraft mechanics James Vogltanz and David Strandquist; aircraft electricians Misuko Hew and Andrew Morales; instrument mechanics Ronald Buxton, Perry Rodebaugh, and Querubin Verdeflor; and electronics mechanics Michael Caratacino, Laurie Davies, Eric Hilderbrand, Brian Oakes, and Phillip Ostrander.

Since the program resurfaced, this is the second class to graduate. Eight apprentices completed the specialized training course and graduated last January.

Apprentices attend classes at either San Diego City College or Miramar College and work in their trades at the Depot.

Ramirez said that the Depot expects to hire more apprentices in January 2007.