BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - Through an apprenticeship at GROB Systems, Inc., there are a lot of opportunities in the STEM fields, including taking the next step up to a supervisor role. Katie Honigford spoke with one employee who did just that for our "Growing STEM" series.
GROB Systems Inc., located in Bluffton, takes time to reach out to local youth about getting involved with their on-site apprenticeship training, and that's exactly how Dakota Bricker got his start working with, and now for, GROB.
"When I first got my start, they came to my school and did a presentation, and that's mainly how I first heard about the apprenticeship, and that's what caught my interest. And then I've had family members who work here, and friends and family I guess for a long time. I'm from Bluffton, so I've heard about GROB growing up and it was just something that interested me," explained Dakota Bricker.
Bricker said that the traditional college path wasn't exactly the right fit for him, and because he was interested in the training that he could receive at GROB, he chose to pursue an apprenticeship.
GROB offers two different pathways—mechanical and electrical—for their apprentices, each learning a different skill set while also earning a degree through Rhodes State College. After that, they are placed in a department within GROB based on which pathway they chose.
That eventually can lead to stepping up on the work ladder like Bricker did, as he's now a foreman.
"It's a step from where I was. I used to be a technician and I assembled things mainly. And now I guess I'm helping oversee a department and it's a big opportunity for myself. I would say the apprenticeship definitely leads to big opportunities. It gives you more confidence and more expertise, and it gives you motivation to do more within the organization," added Bricker.
For more information about the apprenticeship program as well as job listings for GROB, you can log on to https://careers.grobgroup.com/GROBSystems.
