Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship 2020-2021 Campaign Completes Monumental Year

The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP) has completed its last Signing Day Event of the 2020-2021 Campaign on April 28^th at the Wayne-Finger Lakes Career Tech Center. The program was created in 2018 and designed to recruit and engage high school juniors and seniors into Youth Apprenticeship pathways in Advanced Manufacturing. It has witnessed a great amount of success in its second year amidst a pandemic. In collaboration with the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA), MCC has caught regional attention with support from area legislators and grabbed national attention from the federal youth apprenticeship advocates New America. The collaboration with area employers and secondary CTE schools has led to a record year. These numbers are an indicator on why careers in Advance Manufacturing are vital to our community.

By the Numbers:

• 517 interviews conducted through 9 Virtual Matching Day events
• 99 Students officially applied to the competitive program
• 64 students gained Youth Apprenticeship experiences
• 34 Paid Co-ops
• 30 Job shadow Placements
• All students that applied to be in the program earned college credit at MCC
• Over 300 MCC College Credits Accumulated by Youth Apprentices this academic year
• 3 in-person Signing Day (Draft Day) Events that gained local media coverage

Schools Participating:

• Monroe One Career Technical Center
• Monroe 2 BOCES Career Technical Center
• Edison Tech
• Genesee Valley BOCES (Batavia Campus)
• Orleans-Niagara Career Technical Center (Medina)
• Wayne Finger Lakes (Stanley)

36 Companies Sponsoring Youth Apprenticeship Placements:

Thank you to our sponsors!

• Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation – This grant has paid for all dual enrollment courses for each Youth Apprentice involved in this program. They have also provided funding for each event hosted and have supported the hiring of a Program Coordinator, Mike Smith who has been instrumental to the expansion and growth of the program.

• RG&E – The RG&E grant has supported the RTMA and MCC with money dedicated to the marketing of this program. There have been radio ads, social media campaigns, along with dedication to provide students with swag bags at each signing day event. RG&E is also helping the FLYAP with resources to expand upon their 2021-22 goal of bringing awareness to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion into the program. We would like to thank Kyle Banks for his dedication to our program goals.

Staff Recognition:

We would like to thank the following people who have dedicated a significant amount of energy and time to make this program successful for our awesome Youth Apprentices and Company Sponsors:

Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association– Bob Coyne, Rich Turner, Naomi Marshall, Marcie Sherlock, and Elizabeth Murray (Causewave)

EDIWS/MCC Staff– Dale Pearce, John Frontuto, Ann Kuhn, John Troy, and Ross Micali

A special thanks to our Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Coordinators, Mike Smith and Rich Turner, whose teamwork and tireless efforts made this year a huge success even with all the obstacles the pandemic put in our way!