Bühler Aeroglide Welcomes New Apprentices in Cary

RALEIGH, N.C. - Sept. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- As students across North Carolina return to school and college, a brand new apprentice program begins at Bühler Aeroglide in Cary.  Three students are starting a four-year, on-the-job training program that allows them to gain real world workplace experience, and a paycheck, while simultaneously attending Wake Technical Community College in pursuit of a degree.  The new program also guarantees them a job upon graduation.

“There are multiple pathways to a successful career and an apprenticeship is a great option,” said Lukas Schoenwetter, the Director of Human Resources at Bühler Aeroglide.   “We’ve created a unique opportunity to empower young people and help them gain valuable work experience combined with a college education.”

The new apprenticeship, modeled after a program offered by parent company Bühler Group in Uzwil, Switzerland, will introduce students to all aspects of manufacturing such as automation, engineering and design, and building and fabrication.  After four years, students will graduate with an associate degree in mechanical engineering and credentials recognized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the US Department of Labor.

As co-founder of the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP), Bühler Aeroglide worked with six Triangle companies last year to establish the apprentice ‘standard.’   Governor Pat McCory saluted the program at a recruitment effort for interested students hosted by Bühler Aeroglide last March.  The manufacturing sector is at the heart of US innovation, and a skilled workforce is vital to productivity and the discovery of new technologies.  An increased emphasis on STEM education in math, statistics, algebra, engineering and software development contribute by building pathways needed for growth.

“We are pleased to have had a key role in developing this new apprenticeship standard in North Carolina and we thank colleagues and supporters who helped make it possible,” said Schoenwetter.  “As someone who entered Bühler’s program in Switzerland at a younger age myself, it’s very important to me to see this program realized in the US. An education combined with access to the shop floor will help high school graduates build successful careers in manufacturing.  These apprentices, in turn, will go on to be highly-skilled employees and will be vital to the development of new ideas, new technologies, and new products that help grow the economy.”

For more information about apprenticeships with Bühler Aeroglide, contact lukas.schoenwetter@buhlergroup.com or visit www.nctap.org.  An apprenticeship is a job that allows an individual to be paid while learning a particular set of skills through on-the-job training, leading to a nationally recognized credential. Because apprentices are paid to learn, they don’t sacrifice employment income to pursue education and training. Apprentices can also gain an education while incurring little or no debt.  Meanwhile, employers gain a pipeline of skilled workers that help increase productivity and boost the bottom line.

Bühler Aeroglide manufactures dryers, ovens, roasters, toasters, and hot air expansion systems for the food, feed and industrial product markets. Since 1940, the company has been providing innovations for a better world in the form of high-quality thermal processing equipment. As a business unit of Bühler, Aeroglide is headquartered in Cary, NC, and provides sales and service for its industry-leading equipment in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information about Bühler Aeroglide, call +1 919 851 2000, or visit www.buhlergroup.com/drying.

For more information, please contact:
Nick Manley, Marketing Communications
Bühler Aeroglide, 100 Aeroglide Dr., Cary, NC USA
Phone +1 919 278 2864, Fax +1 919 851 6029, E-mail nick.manley@buhlergroup.com