Richard Wolf Medical Instruments, a leading manufacturer of technologies for endoscopic diagnosis and therapy, has a long history of training apprentices at their parent company in Germany. It was a natural fit for the manufacturer to become an ICATT Network Company, offering apprenticeships for Advanced Manufacturing Technicians.

“The apprenticeship pathway is an excellent choice for candidates wishing to pursue a career in Manufacturing,” said Human Resources Manager, Lisa Browning. “Our company, in partnership with ICATT, can give students a clear career direction, debt-free education, living wage, and tenure within an organization that values them as a trainee, employee, and as a person.”

For Richard Wolf, partnering with the ICATT Apprenticeship Program is part of a long-term workforce development strategy. The company is committed to mentoring apprentices who intend to stay at the company for many years of their career, gaining experience and possibly moving into supervisory or team lead roles. Richard Wolf managers don’t want to relegate apprentices only to simple tasks; they want them to grow as full employees, developing their skills and taking on more responsibility over time.

In the span of a few months, one of the apprentices made an important transition: from apprentice to trainer. Kevork Bardak graduated in September and began working full-time and is now an Assistant Trainer at the company.

“We can see our apprentices making a significant contribution to the team early on in their apprenticeship,” said Lisa. “Having Kevork transition from an apprentice to trainer has been beneficial to the company.”

Lisa encourages other manufacturers to become part of the ICATT Network and develop a workforce strategy that works in closing the skills gap.

Get more information about how the ICATT Apprenticeship Program can provide your company with a pipeline of talent.