Cohen Woodworking Employee Completes ECC Apprenticeship Program

Cameron Davis recently completed an apprenticeship program through East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) where he learned new skills that helped him earn more money.

Davis, 28, of Rolla, is employed by Cohen Woodworking, an architectural woodworking firm based in St. James. He began the Industrial Maintenance Specialization apprenticeship program through the CWD in January 2021.

During the two-your program, Davis grew from a Team leader with Cohen to the company’s Maintenance/Safety Coordinator. His pay increased by 35 percent during the two-year stretch.

An apprenticeship is on-the-job training with job-related instruction intended to develop new skills and to increase employee wages.

“I was able to receive free schooling throughout the program thanks to grants through ECC, and my company and I believe continued education allowed me to grow my self-worth,” Davis said.

He learned new skills, such as variable frequency drives, programmable logic controllers, motor alignment, safety and, “So much more that I use every day.”

Classes were held at ECC in Rolla and Davis earned an Industrial Maintenance Certificate of Specialization and a Department of Labor Certificate of Apprenticeship as an Industrial Maintenance Technician.

Davis noted that Duane Clonts, the instructor of the program, played a role in his success.

“My instructor was great — he provided real-world examples from his experience in maintenance positions,” Davis said. “He was easy to talk with and when I asked questions, he broke down the instructional material so I could understand it.”

And registering for the program was simple, he added.

“ECC staff came onsite to Cohen to help complete all the forms with me,” Davis said. “Then I was able to start school a couple of weeks after that.”

Cohen Woodworking is an architectural woodworking firm that builds high-quality custom millwork components and casework for healthcare, education, retail, transportation, hotels, and more, for new construction, renovation, and disaster reconstruction. To learn more about the company, visit www.cohenwoodworking.com.

Apprenticeship Program

Apprenticeship programs improves productivity and the bottom line for companies, as well as provide opportunities for tax credits and employee benefits.

The CWD’s program creates industry-driving and flexible training solutions to meet national and local needs. For every $1 spent on an apprenticeship, employers receive approximately $1.50 return on investment.

To create an apprenticeship program, contact the ECC CWD at Training@eastcentral.edu or 636-649-5800.