Student Tribune
Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program Works Towards DE&I Goals with Champion Academy
On Wednesday, June 9th, The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program
(FLYAP) started their 2021-2022 Recruiting Campaign. The FLYAP Team kicked off
the campaign at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park at Manhattan Square, with
the Champion Academy, a program started by NFL Superbowl Champion and East High
Graduate, Roland Williams. Chris Rush and Anthony Grissett from Champion
Academy were instrumental in recruiting students and coordinating the event.
A dedicated effort to increase awareness for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
has been a strategic goal and mission of the Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship
Program going into its third year of existence. The program was recently
awarded a $75,000 grant from Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) to assist
with this specific initiative. Kyle Banks, Senior Economic Development
Specialist of RG&E was crucial to connecting the FLYAP with Champion
Academy.
Dale Pearce, Program Director of Apprenticeships at MCC teamed up with Bob
Coyne, Executive Director of The Rochester Technology Manufacturing
Association, to present on FLYAP, advanced manufacturing and the impotance
of registered apprenticeship in the Rochester community.
Two MCC students who are registered apprentices at Kodak shared their
experiences with attendees: Casandra Rivera is a single mother taking classes
and working full-time as a registered apprentice in the Electro-Mechanical
Trade. She stressed how the apprenticeship program has allowed her to provide
for her family and is learning skills to further her career goals and
educational goals. She also mentioned how she is staying debt free as Kodak is
paying for all of her MCC courses and trainings. She stayed after the
presentation to speak directly to students. Lucious Kitchens an Urban
League graduate, presented on his journey from taking courses at MCC to finding
a career as a Plumber-Pipefitter at Kodak. He told many stories of how his
skills have helped him save money fixing projects around his house, and how
every 6 months he gets a pay raise being in the registered apprenticeship
program.
The FLYAP team finished the day with hands-on workshops using
measurement tools, hand tools, power tools and allowing students to work as a
team to assemble a skateboard. MCC Apprenticeship Coordinator Mike Smith led
the charge with the skills-trade workshop, and Rich Turner, Director of
Workforce Development at RTMA, worked with Dale Pearce on the skateboard
project.
The FLYAP team would like to give a special thanks to our MCC Apprentices,
Casandra and Lucious for taking time out of their busy work days to come and
talk to our Rochester Youth about the importance of Apprenticeships and
Advanced Manufacturing.
Great work to all involved!
Attached Files:
Champions Academy FLYAP Pic.jpg
Champions Academy Roc Strong Pic.jpg
Pearce, Dale
Economic Development, Workforce and Career Technical Education
06/16/2021