Four Napavine High School students signed letters of intent Wednesday for entering AJAC Advanced Manufacturing Youth Apprenticeships, which are designed for high school juniors and seniors to develop career-ready skills in the advanced manufacturing industries.
Braun Northwest and Walsh Trucking each signed two apprentices to begin working full time through the summer and part time during their senior year of high school, the Napavine School District announced Thursday.
The students will each work 2,000 paid hours and take 15 college credits through Bates Technical College before receiving their Journey Level Card, all while graduating from high school on time.
The four students, Patience Dour, Conner Reichert, Bryson Oliver and Jadon Hansen, all juniors at Napavine High School, signed their letters of intent in front of parents, business leaders, government officials and school officials during a ceremony on Wednesday.
During a speech on Wednesday, Jadon talked about the opportunities that this program will provide for him and his future career goals. He also spoke about the ability to pave the way for future students to participate in this program.
"We were so excited to see the support from County Commissioner Lindsey Pollock, the Economic Alliance, ESD 113, Bob Guenther and others that have championed this program for our businesses and students,” Napavine CTE Director David Rutherford said. “This program will provide local companies with training opportunities for their workforce at a younger age while decreasing the restrictions commonly found due the type of work and age of the employee. It truly is a win-win for all."
For more information on the AJAC Youth Apprenticeship program, visit https://www.ajactraining.org/programs/youth/.
