September 20, 2021
Tallahassee Community College has partnered with Danfoss, one of the largest manufacturers in the region, to target the labor shortage in the manufacturing industry with the creation of a pre-apprenticeship program that follows an on-the-job training model.
Danfoss will select and hire in the initial round six apprentice candidates for manufacturing positions who will then by trained at TCC using scholarships awarded under the Workforce Connections initiative through the Advanced Manufacturing and Training Center (AMTC). The training will last 6-weeks and lead to each participant earning three industry-recognized certifications. Each day as many as 4.6 million manufacturing jobs go unfilled across the U.S. In Florida, approximately 9,000 positions are going unfilled daily because of a lack of skilled workers.
“The ability to think differently and to create innovative solutions that meet workforce needs is paramount in the current climate,” said Kimberly A. Moore, Vice President for Workforce Innovation/TCC2WORK. “We are excited to partner with Danfoss in growing their workforce talent. They are a leader in the manufacturing industry and it is our goal to ensure that they have the workforce needed to continue creating good paying jobs in our local community.”
Tallahassee Community College launched the TCC2WORK Workforce Connections Initiative this past August with a focus on the healthcare industry. Fueled by the success in healthcare, TCC2Work now expands its focus to the manufacturing industry with the launch of the Danfoss partnership.
“We are excited for this opportunity to work with our local community partners to offer a program in which we can provide mentorship and opportunity to local high-potential candidates and they are able to explore opportunities where they can gain real-life hands-on experiences, learn new skills, and learn about what Danfoss and the HVAC industry have to offer,” said Sonjoy Goswami, Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain, at Danfoss. “Danfoss is significantly investing in our Tallahassee business and over the next few years we will be increasing our footprint in the Tallahassee area. This will bring excellent opportunities for individuals looking for a position with a great company and we believe that this new program will help us develop a pipeline to bring local talents to our organization.”
Through the initiative, TCC has doubled down on workforce development training to bridge the gap between worker shortages and local employers. The TCC2WORK Workforce Connections initiative will focus on transportation for its next industry sector.
Employers interested in participating in the newly launched TCC2WORK Workforce Connections initiative can learn more by contacting 1-833- TCC-JOBS or workforce@tcc.fl.edu.