Workforce Development & Apprenticeship Program Manager

Acme Industries is a contract manufacturer serving Fortune 500 clients with high-quality precision components. We specialize in medium-volume, medium-mix production for aerospace, defense, power generation, mining, transportation, and other industries.

Benefits begin immediately: Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, Flexible Spending, Life Insurance, and Short- and Long-Term Disability.

The Position:

We are seeking a Workforce Development & Apprenticeship Program Manager to lead and grow our skilled-trades workforce development programs for laborers and machinists. This role owns the design, delivery, documentation, and compliance of our new-employee immersion, mentorship, instructional training, and Department of Labor (DOL)-registered apprenticeship programs.

This position is ideal for someone who has run programs end-to-end, is comfortable teaching and facilitating training, and understands how to keep programs audit-ready and grant-compliant while working directly with shop-floor employees. This position is not a fit for candidates focused primarily on recruiting, general HR, or administrative coordination without instructional or program ownership experience.

Job Duties:

Workforce Development & Immersion Programs

• Own and continuously improve structured onboarding and immersion programs for production employees
• Ensure training activities are standardized, documented, and aligned with workforce grants and apprenticeship standards
• Serve as a primary point of contact for employees during early skill development and integration

Mentorship & Train-the-Trainer Leadership

• Build and manage a formal mentor program for skilled trades
• Design and teach Train-the-Trainer courses to prepare mentors for effective on-the-job instruction
• Set clear expectations, learning objectives, and accountability for mentors
• Track mentor and trainee progress using auditable documentation

DOL Apprenticeship Program Administration

• Act as the program owner for our DOL-registered apprenticeship program
• Manage apprentice enrollment, OJT tracking, related instruction (RTI), wage progression, and completions
• Maintain apprenticeship standards, work process schedules, and required records
• Prepare for and support DOL reviews, audits, and site visits

Instruction & Curriculum Delivery

• Teach and facilitate foundational manufacturing and workplace skills courses
• Deliver instruction aligned with the SME Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) curriculum, as applicable
• Coordinate with external education or workforce partners when needed
• Maintain attendance records, assessments, and completion documentation

Grant Alignment & Reporting

• Support workforce development grants by ensuring program activities meet defined scopes and deliverables
• Track and report required participation, training, and outcome metrics
• Assist with documentation for grant renewals, reporting, and audits

The Right Person/What we need from you:

• Bachelor's degree in Workforce Development, Education, Manufacturing, HR, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3+ years of experience in workforce development, training, apprenticeship administration, or related roles
• Experience teaching or facilitating adult learning programs
• Working knowledge of apprenticeship documentation and compliance requirements
• Working knowledge of manufacturing, machining, or skilled-trade environments
• Strong communication skills and comfort working on the manufacturing floor

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Direct experience administering a DOL-registered apprenticeship program
• Experience with grant-funded workforce initiatives
• Familiarity with SME CMfgA or similar manufacturing credentials
• Experience delivering Train-the-Trainer programs
• Bilingual (English/Polish) a plus

What you get from us:

*We offer immediate health benefits (1st Day of Employment): medical, dental and vision insurance

*FREE short-term and long-term disability and life insurance starting from 1st day of employment

*Hire on Bonus

*401k with company match

*Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

*Employee assistance program

*Tuition assistance

*Gain sharing bonuses

*Clean and safe manufacturing facility

*Weekly paychecks

*10% 2nd Shift differential (in addition to hourly rate)

*Quarterly Food/Treats (Food Truck, Ice Cream, etc.)

All About Acme:

Acme Industries is an ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100 D certified successful manufacturing/machining organization working with top-notch OEM's. In business since 1948 and serving markets such as transportation, aerospace, defense, mining, and energy. Our customers choose Acme Industries to act as their manufacturing partner because of our superior ability to optimize supply chain and technical support for machined parts, assemblies, and components. Acme's team of experts works with every customer to develop creative solutions for their particular manufacturing challenge.

We love to see our employees' smiles. Whether it is from our fun employee giveaways, raffles, company treats, special holiday treats or the rewarding feeling of participating in our philanthropy projects. Acme wants you to enjoy your job here and feel appreciated. Come be a part of our awesome team!

Acme Industries is a great place to work; our preferred method is to complete an application on our website:www.acmeind.com/careers/