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State leaders inspect youth apprentice program
Commissioner Breeden, Superintendent Schrenko visit local industries in program
On Monday, July 24, Georgia Depart
ment of Technical and Adult Education
Commissioner Ken Breeden and State
School Superintendent Linda Schrenko ar
rived at Macon’s McDonnell-Douglas site
to begin two days of touring industrial sites
and observing the internship phases of two
of the State’s youth apprenticeship pro
grams, the Middle Georgia Aerospace Youth
Apprenticeship Program (MGAYAP) and
West Georgia School to Work (WGSTW),
Inc.
The Youth Apprenticeship Program is a
new educational option that prepares high
school students for the world of work
through a combination of applied academics
and structured workplace learning.
The program is based on the belief that
our youth must be better technically pre
pared for the future if they are to be suc
cessful in a competitive, global market.
Apprenticeship uses a combination of
secondary education, post-secondary educa
tion, and applied workplace learning in or
der to prepare students for the world of
work.
Those participating in apprenticeship
programs are selected on a number of crite
ria, including work ethics, grade point aver
age, and overall attitude. Students who
show a willingness to work and learn are the
most likely to be selected.
Student-apprentices enjoy many benefits.
While acquiring valuable interpersonal and
technical skills which will assist them in any
career they choose, they are also furthering
their educations.
When completing their apprenticeships,
they will have received credits toward a
diploma from a technical institute, which
could then lead to an Associate Degree from
a two-year college.
Moreover, apprentices are given prefer
ential hiring treatment by the industries with
which they intern. Having completed the
program, they are all but guaranteed a job.
The MGAYAP partners include the
school systems of Bibb, Dodge, and Hous
ton Counties and their respective technical
institutes Macon Technical Institute,
Heart of Georgia Technical Institute, and
Middle Georgia Technical Institute.
The aerospace companies providing the
program’s leadership and work-based learn
ing are Boeing-Georgia, Inc.; McDonnell-
Douglas Corporation; and Northrop-Grum
man Corporation.
The WGSTW partners include the school
systems of Harris, Muscogee, and Talbot
Counties and Columbus Technical Institute.
The companies providing the program’s
leadership and work-based component are
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(L to R) Apprentice Belinda Feagin discusses the Middle Georgia Aerospace Youth Apprenticeship Program with
Middle Georgia Technical institute President Billy G. Edenfield, Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Educa
tion Commissioner Ken Breeden, and State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko.
Pratt & Whitney; Oneda Corp.; W.C.
Bradley, Char-Broil Division, Columbus
Foundries, Morton Machine Works, MBIA,
Polychrome, and G.N.B. Battery Technolo
gy-
On the evening of July 24, Breeden and
Schrenko attended a dinner meeting which
highlighted the MGAYAP.
Members of the State Legislature, indus
try representatives, officials from secondary
school systems, technical institute represen
tatives, and city and county officials, as well
as several youth apprentices, were on hand
to discuss the State’s apprenticeship activi
ties.
At the meeting, Schrenko cited the need
for greater cooperation among secondary
schools, technical institutes, two- and four
year colleges, and business and industry.
“We cannot afford to turf guard,” she said.
“We can’t worry about who’s got what
if we’re worried about the future of our
children. We must work together,”
Breeden said in agreement, “I
absolutely believe that this busi
ness of education reform has to
be connected to the workplace.
Anything that we do, if it’s not
connected to the workplace, it
won’t work. Our educational sys
tem should go from the cradle to
the grave, seamlessly.”
Schrenko added. These comments exem
plified the mood of that evening and of the
entire tour.
Breeden said in agreement, “I absolutely
believe that this business of education re
form has to be connected to the workplace.
Anything that we do, if it’s not connected to
the workplace, it won’t work. Our educa
tional system should go from the cradle to
the grave, seamlessly.”
The Youth Apprenticeship Tour also in
cluded a tour of Northrop-Grumman in Per
ry and tours of W.C. Bradley, Charbroil Di
vision and Oneda Corporation in Columbus,
as well as a dinner meeting in Columbus
which highlighted WGSTW, Inc.
Judging from the comments of all parties
involved, apprenticeship has made tremen
dous progress toward becoming an effective
tool in educating our young people.
Several student-apprentices made it
clear that the internship phase of the pro
gram had provided them with a new desire
to learn.
“Now I know why I’ve been in these
English and math classes for all these
years,” said Blake Simpson, a graduate of
Dodge County High School and an appren
tice with the MGAYAP. “This program is
the missing link in my education.”
