Raymond’s commitment to STEM education resonates in Youth Apprenticeship Program

Posted on Jun 6, 2019 in Nuts & Bolts

For more than 25 years, the Youth Apprenticeship Program has been an integral part of The Raymond Corporation’s commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, as well as played a large role in building the workforce of the future. Working with high schools throughout the Southern Tier of New York area, this program provides a hands-on, experiential approach to learning for junior and senior high school students. Coordinated through the Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), apprentices spend two years contributing to the Youth Apprenticeship Program at Raymond headquarters in Greene, New York. Students learn more about their areas of interest, as well as being introduced to a variety of other disciplines, which can include engineering, finance and manufacturing.

“One of the biggest challenges the manufacturing industry faces today is attracting and retaining talent, and that includes finding and educating talent to address the widening skills gap,” Heidi Foster, coordinator of the Youth Apprenticeship Program, The Raymond Corporation. “The Youth Apprenticeship Program has a long history of preparing students with the necessary skill sets for successful futures in STEM careers. The program has proved especially valuable in recent years as a way to address industry challenges.”

This year, Raymond celebrates six graduates from its Youth Apprenticeship Program from Greene, Chenango Valley and Maine-Endwell central school districts in New York state:

Greene Central School, New York:

Ashley Kenyon

Daniel Kovalev

Spencer Klumpp

Liam Reid

Maine-Endwell Central School District, New York:

Danielle Edwards

Chenango Valley Central School District, New York:

Eric Brom

In addition to returning students Nathaniel Erickson and Jarod Likens, Raymond will welcome five new apprentices to the program in September 2019: