Qualtek Manufacturing Announces Mechatronics Journeyman

Qualtek Manufacturing, Inc. www.qualtekmfg.com announces Christian Shepley successfully completed a four-year apprenticeship program and has achieved certification as Mechatronics Journeyman from the U.S. Department of Labor.  Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering that combines electrical, mechanical and control engineering.    Qualtek Manufacturing offers the only U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program in the State of Colorado.  Shepley is the second Qualtek employee to achieve Journeyman status this year.
 
“Christian’s dedication and ability to manage his job responsibilities while commuting to school are emblematic of his character,” stated Jason Webber, Plant Manager at Qualtek. Shepley was one of only 2 graduates of the Pueblo Community College Corporate College Mechatronics program http://www.pueblocc.edu/pcc.   He completed the coursework part of his apprenticeship by commuting to PCC several nights a week and he developed the experiential requirements at Qualtek, where he has worked for six years as a Maintenance II Technician.  
 
The DOL Registered Apprenticeship is a formal structured training program and has been in place at Qualtek since 2014.  The four-year apprenticeship program combines 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning and completion of over 675 hours of classroom instruction at Pueblo Community College.  The Apprenticeship Program helps workers develop skills and enables Qualtek to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of the 21st century advanced manufacturing.  
 
“Our DOL Apprenticeship program is a great opportunity for young people to build credentials and experience to pursue highly paid careers in trades for manufacturers,” said Chris Fagnant, Qualtek President.  Mechatronics skills are in high demand among U.S. manufacturers as they continue to evolve and grow. 

Qualtek is an active member of local and national trade associations that have influenced the application and effectiveness of its workforce development programs.  Locally, Qualtek is a member of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association (CAMA) http://coloradomanufacturing.org/, a nonprofit focused on the future of manufacturing by advancing process improvements, innovative technologies and workforce development.  Nationally, Qualtek is a member of the Precision Metalforming Association, http://www.pma.org/, which provides resources for training and development specific to the stamping industry.   ### Qualtek Manufacturing Inc. (www.qualtekmfg.com) manufactures high quality specialty metal parts by providing vertically integrated metal stamping, heat-treating, and finishing services at their Colorado Springs location.  Qualtek Manufacturing is privately held and has been in operation for more than 50 years. The company holds ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications and has been designated as Gold Leader in the Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/environmental-leadership-program.

Contact Information

Lori Wise

HR Director

Linda Irwin, SeeComm Group

(1) 719-598-3394

lwise@qualtekmfg.com