GREENSBORO, N.C. — Technical colleges are known for providing hands-on experience.
But Guilford Technical Community College is taking it up a notch.
"They get classroom experience and take it the next day right to the job floor," said Mike Mackey recruiter for GTCC.
Through an apprenticeship partnership with NC FAME first in-flight chapter GTCC students get paid to go to school and work at a real job.
FAME stands for Federation of Advanced Manufacturing and Education.
Hillary Walser is the president of NC FAME.
"All of our employers are located in a 50-mile footprint of GTCC," Walser said. "So we have folks all the way from Winston Salem to Mebane to Toyota in the Liberty area."
Walser attended Tuesday's info session at GTCC to share what the program has to offer.
"It’s the first one in NC that’s why it’s the first in-flight chapter," Walser said. "Right now we have 40 students available to come into the program."
Walser is also a recruiter for Jowat an adhesive manufacturer in High Point.
She's hoping to get some of the program's first graduates to come to work full-time to fill their 15 openings.
"We just bought a new facility and we are expanding the production line," Walser said. "That's the reason we need to add more people to our manufacturing floor and look at the skills we can get through this technical program."
"There's a need out here. When I got my job it was like when can you start," said GTCC student Adam Smith. "I started that night."
Smith has an interest in furthering his career with High Line Warren and sees the program being a good fit.
"I want to get into the engineering department of my company. Right now I’m a maintenance tech so there’s a lot of opportunities to dive into," Smith said. "I think it’d be really beneficial."
GTCC and NC FAME are recruiting students for their second cohort right now.
Those who finish the program could see a starting salary of about $60,000 with just a 2-year degree.
There are some requirements to be accepted into the program but GTCC recruiter Mike Mackey said it’s a life-changing opportunity.
"We need skilled technicians to go out and service these types of equipment and build parts for all the machines," Mackey said. "Everything that makes manufacturing go in any industry."
They're accepting applications now for the August cohort.