Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) recently received a Connecticut Workforce Development Award from the CT Economic Development Association (CEDAS). Dr. Grace Sawyer Jones, president, TRCC, and Catherine White, manager of design and engineering training, General Dynamics Electric Boat, received the statewide award for the exemplary training program, “Keeping America Competitive: Workforce Development Solutions for the Submarine Capital of the World,” in the Community College category.
Three Rivers partnered with Electric Boat (EB) to educate members of the Marine Draftsmen’s Association (MDA) and build career ladders for MDA members. To date, almost 200 Electric Boat MDA employees are participating in an associate degree program at Three Rivers. Many of the classes are being offered on-site at EB, with other employees taking advanced classes and labs on the college’s new consolidated campus.
The training program grew out of Electric Boat’s need to recruit and retain several hundred new drafting employees in the Marine Drafting Apprentice program. To address this challenge, TRCC, EB, the MDA, and the State of CT Department of Education formed an innovative collaboration. Three Rivers faculty evaluated the State-approved apprentice program curriculum for non-traditional college credit that would transfer into an associate’s degree program. This unique program enables EB to develop and retain their employees.
For more information, visit TRCC online at www.trcc.commnet.edu.
