(WATERVLIET, NEW YORK) – In an exciting effort to boost in-house skills, the U.S. Army’s Watervliet Arsenal Machinist Apprentices now have a dedicated machine shop where they can practice and hone their craft.

The Apprentice Machine Shop provides vital support to Apprentices as they develop their machining skills.

This innovative initiative aims to augment and compensate for the limited lab time available at nearby Hudson Valley Community College where Apprentices concurrently attend classes throughout their four-year Apprenticeship.

The initial concept for the machine shop was proposed by former Apprentice Training Administrator Thomas Mulheren, after recognizing a need for enhanced skill development among Apprentices and shop floor personnel.

Mulheren began the process of assessing the potential benefits of the project for Watervliet Arsenal.

The machine shop offers apprentices a one-on-one learning environment to refine their skills in both manual and CNC machining.

It also provides a venue for design using Mastercam and Solidworks, 3D rendering software used in building machining programs, as well as the implementation of out-puts generated from these applications to prove-out and perfect programs for the CNC lathe and Super Mini Mill machines.

This hands-on experience outside of the classroom is designed to enhance Apprentices’ lab performance and improve their effectiveness both at the arsenal and in their degree programs.

The need to improve academic outcomes is driven by the requirement for Apprentices to meet rigorous academic standards throughout their Apprentice contract which, according to Mulheren, can lead to Watervliet Arsenal losing otherwise talented and promising future Machinists.

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Photo Provided By The U.S. Army.