"Caleb Moss's workday starts early on Tuesdays and Thursdays, before the sun comes up. At 4:30 a.m., he reports to his post in tool and die at Virco Manufacturing. Under the guidance of a mentor, he turns steel into high-precision tools and molds used throughout the plant. At 9:00 a.m., Moss leaves the plant and heads to Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock, Ark., for a full day of instruction, beginning with math class and moving on to hands-on training on machines similar to those Moss uses on the job."
"Moss is one of two employees that Virco, a school-furniture maker known for its colorful plastic classroom chairs, plucked from other departments for three-year apprenticeships in tool and die. It's a strategy the manufacturer has embraced as it seeks to fill critical gaps in its workforce, and one the Trump administration has made the centerpiece of its promise to bring American workers into a golden age."
"Through an executive order issued last April, Trump set a goal to increase the number of active apprenticeships to 1 million, up from the current level of about 700,000. It's one of the few policies embraced by former President Joe Biden that Trump appears to wholeheartedly support."
Caleb Moss participates in a three-year apprenticeship at Virco Manufacturing, working early morning shifts in tool and die production while attending full-day classes at Pulaski Technical College. He receives compensation for time spent at both locations. Virco selected Moss and one other employee from other departments to fill critical workforce gaps through this apprenticeship strategy. After a decade in lower-skilled positions, Moss views the program as an opportunity to advance his education and career. The Trump administration has prioritized apprenticeships as an economic strategy, setting a goal to increase active apprenticeships from approximately 700,000 to 1 million through an executive order.
Read at www.npr.org
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