FRCE apprentices honored with graduation ceremony at Craven Community College

Photo By Heather Wilburn | Fleet Readiness Center East Executive Director Mark Meno, left, congratulates aircraft mechanical parts repairer Tito Williamson for earning his certificate in industrial systems technology as part of the National Apprenticeship Program. Williamson and 38 other apprentices who completed the academic took part in a graduation ceremony at Craven Community College’s New Bern Campus May 20.  

CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES

05.24.2021

Story by Heather Wilburn 

Fleet Readiness Center East

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- Two groups of Fleet Readiness Center East apprentices celebrated success during a graduation ceremony held May 20 at the Craven Community College New Bern campus.
The apprentices earned certificates in industrial systems technology, recognizing their completion of the academic portion of the National Apprenticeship Program. The four-year program – governed nationally by Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers – offers participants the opportunity to work as full-time federal employees, receiving pay and benefits as they pursue a combination of education and on-the-job training.
The apprentices are now fully and completely part of the FRCE family, FRCE Executive Director Mark Meno said in remarks given during the ceremony.
“A family is a foundation – a bedrock,” he continued. “Consider the families and those who have supported you on this journey to today. Don’t forget to thank them, even if it is thanking them yet again.”
Meno challenged the apprentices to consider the three P’s as they continue down their career path at FRCE: principled, passion and professionalism.
“This will hopefully enable your success, ensure that you put this hands-on and scholastic training that has been afforded you to purposeful use, and excite you about what lies ahead,” he said. “As you go forth from today, may you always be principled, remain passionate and strive to always reflect professionalism.”
A total of 49 apprentices received their certificates of completion from Craven Community College President Raymond Staats. For the 31 apprentices in Cohort 1 – also known as the Class of 2023 – the ceremony has been a long time coming. This group began the program in August 2019 and completed the coursework in May 2020; however, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled that year’s plans for a graduation ceremony on their behalf. For the 18 apprentices in Cohort 2, their work as the Class of 2024 began in August 2020.
The apprentices have put in a great deal of effort to get to this point but still have more work to do, said Vincent Burgess, training branch head at FRCE’s Command Operations Department. With this coursework behind them, the apprentices now must complete additional on-the-job training and further certifications at FRCE before they reach their full journey-level mechanic status.
“We are immensely proud of all that the apprentice cohorts, through perseverance and dedication, have achieved,” Burgess said. “We look forward to seeing all they achieve in the future with the knowledge and spirit they bring to FRC East. Witnessing the graduation today, I firmly believe the future of FRC East is very bright.”
The apprentices currently work in five career fields and range in age from 20-58. Many, like sheet metal technician John Williams, are veterans who see a career at FRCE as a way to remain connected to the military.
“I was interested in working for the military. I’m prior service Air Force, so aviation is my ‘kung fu,’ if you would,” Williams explained. “FRC East is one of the premier aviation employers in the area, so it was a good fit.”
Williams said he enjoyed the graduation ceremony and appreciated the quality, professional instruction he received at Craven Community College.
“This is very nice; I’m glad the college thought enough of us to do this for us,” he said. “We enjoyed all our instructors. We enjoyed the training, and we met really quality and outstanding people both in the classroom and outside the classroom.”
As part of the program, apprentices learn and work in FRCE’s Production Department, training in trades including machinist, pneudraulics, sheet metal, aircraft and mechanical parts repair, and airframes. The program seeks to produce a steady pipeline of qualified mechanics ready to provide service to the fleet. At the end of the four years, apprentices who successfully complete the program will have earned an academic certificate, trade theory certificate, and certification recognized by both the State of North Carolina and the U.S. Department of Labor. All told, they will gain 7,200 hours of academic, trade and on-the-job training over the course of their apprenticeships. In return, they agree to provide the depot with two years of skilled labor, the beginning of what will hopefully be a long career with FRCE.
FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot generates combat air power for America’s Marines and naval forces while serving as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

• Date Taken: 05.24.2021
• Date Posted: 05.24.2021 13:24
• Story ID: 397229
• Location: CHERRY POINT, NC, US
• Hometown: HAVELOCK, NC, US