February 2021
Chamber Connection
Your connection to the greater Hanover business community.
Chamber News Pages 1-5 Workforce Spotlight Page 4 Ambassador Spotlight Page 4 Member Spotlights Pages 6 Business Briefs Pages 7-8 Main Street Hanover Page 9 Upcoming Events Pages 10-11
Hanover Apprenticeship Program Update for 2021 Next month marks four years since the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce became the first chamber in Pennsylvania to submit a Chamber Apprenticeship Model approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry. The application, a group, non-joint model for apprentices started with four companies (Elsner Engineering Works; Inc., KLK Welding; R. H. Sheppard Co. Inc., a Bendix CVS Company; and Utz Quality Foods, Inc.) and two school districts (Hanover Public School District and South Western School District) under the umbrella of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce. The program has since grown to include nine business partners and three school districts. Through the apprenticeship program, high school students begin as a pre-apprentice in their junior year, with the program structured around their high school curriculum and work within one of the participating companies. Upon graduation, students have the opportunity to complete a paid apprenticeship within a partner company. Since 2017 the Chamber has secured $300,000 in grants to purchase equipment for high schools and pay training costs for preapprentices and apprentices. A partner from the very beginning, Elsner Engineering Works, Inc. continues to feel the value of the program, "ELSNER’s apprenticeship program continues to help prepare our next generation of skilled machinists. With one apprentice nearly a year from graduation and another halfway through, our excitement and passion for the four-year
program has grown exponentially. In 2020 we also welcomed four pre-apprentices from Hanover and Conewago Valley school districts who are working part-time in machining, welding and mechatronics. We look forward to extending more apprenticeship and preapprenticeship opportunities as our company continues to grow!" says Lynneah Smith, Human Resources Manager for Elsner. Another devoted partner, Utz Quality Foods, is pleased with the growth they've seen in the program, "The maintenance apprenticeship program at Utz has benefited greatly from our relationship with the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce. We have three former apprentices who now work for us as fully qualified technicians. One of our current apprentices started out as a pre-apprentice when he was a senior in high school, and he is now working his way toward an associates degree in mechatronics," says Iain Fields, Maintenance Manager for Utz. The Chamber's model is unique in that it is based on employer-driven collaboratives that determine how the talent development models are created and maintained. As such, the Chamber made great strides towards adding a healthcare track to the program in 2020 and will continue to pursue this and other areas for growth throughout 2021. Are you interested in becoming one of our apprenticeship partners, donating to our program, or do you simply want more information on our program? Contact Gary Larid, Chamber President, at glaird@hanoverchamber.com.
146 Carlisle Street Hanover, PA 17331 717.637.6130 www.hanoverchamber.com