Pre-Apprenticeship = program graduates 6 from the Carbon Career & Technical

Pre-Apprenticeship program graduates 6 from the = Carbon=20 Career & Technical

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SPECIAL=20 TO THE TIMES NEWS Anthony Pondish, left, Coordinator of Adult = Education,=20 Sean Holland, Zack Beddiges, Tyler Frantz, Colton Charbonnier, = Jeff Bobish=20 - Construction Teacher and kneeling is Frank Currieri (Donald = Whildin -=20 not shown)

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Pre-Apprenticeship Initiative is = pleased to=20 announce that six students representing four school districts in the = Carbon=20 County graduated from the program on May 20 at the Pleasant Valley High = School=20 in Brodheadsville.

The Pre-Apprenticeship Initiative is an exciting program for High = School=20 Seniors interested in a career in the building and construction trades.=20 Supported by four Workforce Investment Boards, Lackawanna; = Luzerne/Schuylkill;=20 Northern Tier and Pocono Counties, this initiative has been funded by an = Industry Partnership grant through Governor Rendell's strategy for = building a=20 skilled workforce. The Northeastern Pa Labor Management Council is the = project=20 manager for this program.

All six graduates were awarded certificates of completion and perfect = attendance certificates. The Pocono Counties Workforce Investment Board=20 presented each student with certificates of achievement and a gift card. = Torpedo=20 levels were donated by the Pre-Apprenticeship program.

Graduates are: Carbon CTI - Frank Curreri; Lehighton - Zack Beddiges = and=20 Tyler Frantz; Panther Valley High School - Coltin Charbonnier and Donald = Whildin; Weatherly High School - Sean Holland.

Participating high school seniors take a 12-week after school program = that=20 prepares them to successfully enter into a building trades = apprenticeship=20 program. They learn the basic math, intro to construction and work = readiness=20 skills needed to prepare them to take and pass an apprenticeship exam = and=20 successfully complete the interview process. Presenters from each of the = building and construction trades come into the class room and speak to = the=20 students about their particular trade and many of them open their = training=20 centers on Saturdays. This gives the students a better idea of what it's = like to=20 be in an apprenticeship program.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Pre-Apprenticeship Initiative is a = model=20 program that seeks not only to provide the trades with qualified = applicants, but=20 also to provide an opportunity for a high school senior to begin a = career with=20 family sustaining wages and good benefits. For more information on the = program=20 contact Eve Centrelli, Executive Director, Northeastern PA Labor = Management=20 Council at 570-820-9501 or email nepalmc@epix.net.

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