The Los Alamos (New Mexico) Reporter recently published a story on those who are participating in the Machinist Apprentice Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory, many of whom couldn’t have known the unique opportunities that lie ahead.  The program trains new Machinists in basic and advanced technology through hands-on Apprenticeship instruction with veteran Machinists - and is a model for other organizations interested in growing a skilled Employee base.  For Andres Maestas, it’s been a game-changer.  Maestas earned a certificate in machining at Central New Mexico Community College and worked for a year at a shop in Bernalillo before joining the Apprentice Program in 2019.  He’s now a full-time Employee supporting programs in the Lab’s Plutonium Facility and says the Apprentice Program allowed him to return to his roots.  “I bought a house with my fiancée and we’re raising a daughter,” Maestas said. “Without the lab, I don’t know where I’d be.  This allowed me to stay in my own community in northern New Mexico, purchase a home and provide for my family.”

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: LANL: Machinists Go From Apprentice To Expert Through Hands-On Training – Los Alamos Reporter