Tool Gauge apprentice, Raquel Taijito, is one of the 79 graduates who will receive her journey-level credential as a Production Technician. Not only is she receiving her credentials at tonight’s ceremony, but she be receiving her high school diploma from Stadium High School in Tacoma, Wash.

Raquel was hired through a partnership with Tool Gauge and AJAC as a registered Youth Apprentice.

“Raquel displayed a genuine interest in working for Tool Gauge during the interview process,” said Clint Folyer, Metals Operations Manager. “She carried herself very well and answered my questions with mature, though-out answers.  She showed all the right qualities that we look for in an employee.”

During her sophomore year, Raquel’s mom and high school engineering teacher encouraged her to enroll in AJAC’s Youth apprenticeship program as a Production Technician.

“I knew I liked to build things. When I was a little girl I used to love to play with Legos and it would be all these funky designs, but I remember just enjoying building and designing my own stuff,” Taijito said.

The Youth Apprenticeship program is designed for high school juniors and seniors to develop career-ready skills in aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries. The 2,000-hour programs combine paid hands on, on-the-job training with an AJAC employer alongside college level classroom instructions which can lead to a high school diploma, journey-level credential and short-term college certificate.

“The AJAC program helps close the skill gap between experienced workers leaving the workforce and the rate at which new talent is trained so that companies are never without the talent that makes them successful,” Folyer said.

As the school year comes to a close, Raquel is looking forward to keeping up her skills with a full-time job at Tool Gauge. In fall of 2019, she will enroll as a freshman at St. Martins University with a goal to pursue an aeronautical engineering degree.

“My dream is not actually owning a shop,” Taijito said. “But it’s being a part of a company where I can design aerospace parts – something that deals with NASA or satellites. That’s my ultimate goal.”

Congratulations to Raquel and the rest of the AJAC class of 2019!

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I decided to become an apprentice at age 16 at the beginning of my sophomore year at Stadium High School in Tacoma. It was after my old engineer design teacher Mr. Reher introduced me to The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee’s (AJAC) and their training programs to see if this would be something that I would be interested in. These programs sounded like a really cool training alternative, especially the way they are structured – apprentices receive on-the-job training during the day at a local company’s job site and take classes one night a week at a community or technical college. So I decided to go for it!

Which specific AJAC apprenticeship program attracted you the most at the time?

I chose the aerospace-oriented production technician program which is specifically designed for high school students ages 16 and 17 who are looking to advance their skill set, knowledge, and understanding of advanced manufacturing. The job duties of a Production Technician is to set up, test, and adjust advanced manufacturing machinery or equipment, using a combination of electrical, electronic, mechanic, hydraulic, pneumatic, or computer technologies. Production Technicians work hands on with computer-aided design (CAD), as well as analytical and scientific software. I liked how the program gives high schoolers like me the opportunity to learn and enhance their knowledge in a variety of machining and manufacturing techniques. I also was attracted to the idea that I was going to learn basic manual and CNC machining, including shop knowledge and blue print reading.

How long is the apprenticeship?

This is a two-year program and I am currently in my second year. I will graduate in June 2019 with a Technician Operator certificate, as well as graduate from high school at the same time. By the time I complete my apprenticeship, I will have spent a year and three months at Tool Gauge altogether and received 2,000 hours of training in precision metal manufacturing which is pretty amazing.

What attracted you to Tool Gauge specifically?

In addition to the opportunity to learn with a local leading-edge aerospace manufacturing company, for me it is about the people who work there. I remember meeting Tool Gauge’s Metals Operations Manager Clint Folyer for the first time and how he had a really nice attitude with genuine care for his team. I remember him saying that the company was not too big, but big enough to do both production and unique jobs. Now that I work in Tool Gauge’s metals division, it’s exciting to be able to say that I manufacture parts that go into airplanes.

What are your plans after completing your apprenticeship?

I hope to work as a Technician Operator first. After that, all the skills and work experience I will have acquired will help me reach my ultimate career goal which is to become an aerospace engineer.

What is it like to be an apprentice and would you recommend this program to others?

Being an apprentice is a lot of fun and I really enjoy what I do. It is not easy sometimes because you have to juggle work and school, but I know it is worth it in the end because this work experience will help me understand the industrial and mechanical aspects that I need for a future career in aerospace engineering. I would recommend this program to young people who are eager to learn and don’t mind getting their hands dirty. Youth apprenticeship programs are also a great alternative to a four-year university degree and can lead to fulfilling and rewarding careers.

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