Apprenticeship Program Pays Off for Mack Molding

While many plastics processors bemoan the difficulty of finding qualified workers to hire, some processors are doing something about it. One of them is contract manufacturer Mack Molding, Arlington, Vt., whose apprenticeship program is yielding a steady stream of skilled recruits. Recruits typically are pursuing technical degrees, and it has become something of a tradition to welcome former interns back to Mack as full-time employees after graduation, says Mack president Jeff Somple.

Eleven students have returned to the company full-time in the last two years. And this spring, five former interns returned to Mack to begin their careers in plastics:

Tracy Weinstein joins Mack as a manufacturing engineer after earning a B.S. degree in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y. As a Mack intern, she gained manufacturing experience and medical product insight, as well as familiarity with the company and its processes.

Casey Magrath is back as a business-development manager. A recent graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass., she has a B.S. in management engineering with a concentration in chemistry. She is currently working on her M.S. in management at WPI. As a Mack intern, she gained experience in product development and validation while working with orthopedic customers. She also developed her sales and customer-relationship skills while interning at athenahealth in Watertown, Mass.

Colin Derby has joined the company as an associate manufacturing engineer. He graduated from Vermont Technical College, Randolph, Vt., with an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering technology and bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering technology. In addition to two years as a Mack intern, he gained experience in internships at Plasan Carbon Composites, Kaman Aero Space, and Abacus Automation.

Cody LaFlamme has joined Mack’s purchasing team as a cost estimator. He earned a bachelor’s degree in technology management at the State University of N.Y. (SUNY) at Oswego. As a Mack intern, he became familiar with the firm’s supplier base while gaining experience in ERP navigation and quality and risk assessments.

Alex Hawley spent four summers interning at Mack and has now returned as a manufacturing clerk. He received a bachelor of business administration with a dual concentration in marketing and management from Castleton University, Castleton, Vt. As an intern, he worked on bills of materials, inventories products, and assisted the metal fabrication team.