Arthrex launches youth apprenticeship with Tri-County Technical College

Listen to this article

Arthrex Inc., an orthopedic surgical device manufacturer, has signed on its first Tri-County Technical College apprentice through the Youth Apprenticeship Carolina program.

Anderson’s Austin Shingleton, 16, will trailblaze the program by working at Arthrex Inc. part-time as a CNC machine operator apprentice starting today, while also taking classes at Tri-County Technical College and T.L. Hanna High School, according to a news release.

Through Tri-County Tech’s partnership with Apprenticeship Carolina, students can continue working part-time as an apprentice as they complete their associate degree after graduating high school. The program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor that is used to cover student tuition costs and support services, as well as a youth apprenticeship coordinator position at Tri-County Tech.

“Apprenticeship programs, like our partnership with Tri-County, provide a valuable opportunity to immerse talented students into our culture and workforce while educating them on how to succeed in the highly competitive medical device industry,” Chris Johansen, operation director for Arthrex Manufacturing Inc.-South Carolina, said in the release. “Moreover, these programs are a way for us to streamline our hiring process and attract and develop the very best team members.”

Tri-County’s goal is to establish 10 youth apprenticeships with local businesses during the program’s first year and up to 100 by the end of 2024 in partnership with Career and Technology Centers across Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.

“Apprenticeships are hands down one of the most productive workforce development tools for our state,” Tim Hardee, president of the S.C. Technical College System, said in the release. “We are proud to support the S.C. Upstate Regional Youth Apprenticeship at Tri-County Technical College and look forward to seeing the program grow and our state’s workforce pipeline strengthened.”