Report on the Diamond Electric and MAMC Apprenticeship Program Initiative

Executive Summary

A new apprenticeship program has been launched by Diamond Electric, a Putnam County-based manufacturing company, in collaboration with the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC). This initiative is designed to upskill 17 employees in industrial maintenance mechanics, directly addressing critical workforce needs. The program represents a significant contribution to regional economic development and aligns with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning quality education, decent work, and sustainable industry.

Program Objectives and Strategic Importance

The primary goal of the Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship Program is to develop a highly skilled workforce capable of managing complex and critical roles within the company. This strategic investment addresses several key business and community objectives:

• Upskilling the Workforce: Providing current employees with advanced training to meet the evolving demands of the manufacturing sector.
• Succession Planning: Proactively preparing for future retirements and workforce turnover by developing internal talent.
• Mutual Investment: Creating a reciprocal commitment where the company invests in employee development, and employees commit to a multi-year training program, fostering loyalty and stability.
• Economic Resilience: Strengthening the company’s operational capacity and contributing to the broader economic health of the community.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This partnership serves as a practical model for achieving sustainable development at the local level. The program’s structure and goals place a significant emphasis on the following SDGs:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The apprenticeship directly promotes lifelong learning opportunities by providing specialized vocational training. It equips employees with the technical skills necessary for sustainable livelihoods, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education outside of traditional academic settings.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: By creating pathways to higher-skilled, better-paying jobs, the program fosters full and productive employment and decent work. This initiative supports sustained and inclusive economic growth in West Virginia by enhancing the value and productivity of the local workforce.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: A skilled maintenance workforce is fundamental to building resilient manufacturing infrastructure. This program supports sustainable industrialization by ensuring that Diamond Electric can operate efficiently and innovate. Upskilling employees is a key driver of technological adaptation and growth within the industry.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The collaboration between Diamond Electric (private sector) and MAMC (a designated training and academic hub) exemplifies a powerful partnership for sustainable development. This model demonstrates how cross-sector cooperation can effectively mobilize resources and expertise to achieve shared economic and social goals.

Roles of Partner Organizations

Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC)

As a U.S. Department of Labor-designated national apprenticeship hub, MAMC provides the foundational support for the program. With 35 years of experience and having launched 62 registered apprenticeship programs, its role includes:

• Providing a comprehensive curriculum and a structured “playbook” for program implementation.
• Offering expert consulting to ensure the program meets industry standards.
• Delivering “train the trainer” instruction to equip Diamond Electric’s senior employees to serve as effective mentors.
• Guiding the company through the process of establishing and managing a registered apprenticeship.

Diamond Electric

A key manufacturer of automobile ignition coils with headquarters in West Virginia, Diamond Electric’s contribution is central to the program’s success. The company’s role involves:

• Investing financial resources and employee time into the multi-year training initiative.
• Identifying and enrolling employees for critical upskilling opportunities.
• Committing to long-term workforce development as a core business strategy.
• Supporting local economic development by creating high-value career opportunities within the community.

Conclusion: Broader Community and Economic Impact

The apprenticeship program launched by Diamond Electric and MAMC extends beyond the immediate benefit to the company and its participating employees. It serves as a strategic initiative to address the high demand for skilled labor in the manufacturing sector. By providing West Virginians with the training needed for secure, well-paying careers, the partnership actively supports regional economic development, helps local companies grow, and ensures the community can seize upon emerging economic opportunities. This model of targeted workforce development is critical for fostering a prosperous and sustainable economic future.

Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article focuses on an apprenticeship program designed to provide training and upskill employees. This directly relates to providing inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) provides the “curriculum” and “play book” for training, which is a core component of education.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The program’s goal is to help “West Virginians get the training they need to get these good paying jobs” and to “support economic development.” By upskilling the workforce for a manufacturing company, the initiative promotes sustained, inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article is centered on a “local manufacturing company” (Diamond Electric) and the support it receives from an “Advanced Manufacturing Center.” This highlights efforts to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation by strengthening the manufacturing sector and its workforce.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The initiative is a collaboration between a private company (Diamond Electric), a specialized center (MAMC), and a government body (U.S. Department of Labor, which designated MAMC as a national hub). This multi-stakeholder partnership is a clear example of the collaboration needed to achieve sustainable development goals.

Identified SDG Targets

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
     
     Explanation: The article describes an “industrial maintenance mechanic apprenticeship program” where employees are “upskilling into these more difficult positions.” This is a direct effort to provide adults with relevant technical skills for their employment and career advancement within the manufacturing company.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.
     
     Explanation: The program upskills employees for “more difficult positions that are critical for that company,” which implies a move towards higher-value roles and increased productivity through a better-trained workforce.
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all.
     
     Explanation: The article explicitly states the goal is to help people get “good paying jobs” and find “good careers,” which aligns with the objective of achieving decent work.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization.
     
     Explanation: By supporting a local manufacturing company to train its workforce, the program helps “these companies grow,” thereby strengthening the local industrial base and contributing to industrialization.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
     
     Explanation: The entire initiative is built on a partnership between Diamond Electric (private sector) and MAMC, which is a U.S. Department of Labor-designated hub (public-private link). This collaboration is presented as a “win-win situation for everyone involved.”

Identified SDG Indicators

1. For Target 4.4 (Relevant Skills for Employment)

   • Indicator: The number of adults participating in technical and vocational training.
     
     From the article: The article provides a precise number, stating that “17 of their employees are starting that training.”

2. For Target 8.5 (Decent Work)

   • Indicator: The existence of programs aimed at creating “good paying jobs” and “good careers.”
     
     From the article: While not providing wage data, the article repeatedly mentions the program’s role in helping people “get these good paying jobs” and “find these good careers,” implying that the creation of such opportunities is a measure of success.

3. For Target 17.17 (Partnerships)

   • Indicator: The number of registered partnership programs established.
     
     From the article: A clear metric is provided for the success of the MAMC partnership model: it has “helped launch 62 registered apprenticeship programs.” The program at Diamond Electric is the latest addition to this count.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wvmetronews.com