For more information on iTEC, please read through a list of frequently asked questions below.
Apprenticeships are available to Lehigh Valley area residents who are 18 or older with a high school diploma or GED, are eligible to work in the USA, and want to start a career in advanced manufacturing.
Applicants submit their resumes online or at an in-person event such as a career fair or employer day. The resumes are forwarded to the iTEC member companies and candidates are contacted by the interested companies. The selection process is the same as for any other position within the company.
An apprenticeship has two components: on the job training with a mentor who is a professional in the field that the apprentice is learning, and related technical instruction at an accredited college. iTEC currently offers apprenticeships in industrial manufacturing and mechatronics with new programs added as companies request them.
Your resume will be forwarded to all iTEC member companies. You are free to decide which companies you interview with and select the best match from among the companies that make you an offer.
The pay and benefits you receive as an apprentice are determined by each individual company.
Costs directly related to the education requirements of being an apprentice are covered by the company. Ancillary costs related to the program such as transportation, childcare, etc., may be covered by grant monies as they become available. Eligibility is determined in the application process.
As a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, iTEC receives operating funding from its member companies, grants and donations.
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship program, you will receive a journeyworker credential from the PA Department of Labor and Industry, which is a nationally recognized credential. You will also receive a certificate from your education provider. The ability to obtain an Associate Degree is determined by the technical and general education classes you take as an apprentice. In addition, whether required by your sponsoring company or as an optional opportunity, you can take the end of apprenticeship exams and gain a credential from the German American Chamber of Commerce.
Lehigh Carbon Community College and Northampton Community College are the two colleges that currently provide related technical instruction for iTEC. The college you attend will be decided by the iTEC partner company based on business and educational factors.
Apprenticeships are generally 2-4 years but can be shorter if you have participated in a pre-apprenticeship program or if you are an incumbent worker and have received credit for previous on-the-job training.
Apprentices are hired by an iTEC partner company as an official employee and progress into a journeyman position upon completion of the apprenticeship. While there is no guarantee that apprentices will be hired after completing their apprenticeship, the member companies are participating in iTEC for the primary purpose of finding skilled talent.
The first step is to fill out the inquiry form.