The SWAG Program has a funding stream that has been missing. There are 39,000 small manufacturers in California who have 20 or less employees and employers don’t have the resources or the time to invest in an apprenticeship program. But investments by the California Community Colleges and its Strong Workforce Program, as well as other state and federal funding are allowing programs like SWAG to be conceived and, importantly, be sustained.
One of the keys to success is that the funding allows employees to utilize Tooling U , a respected online training organization that reinforces that employees are gaining a relevant skills-based education.
Right now, there are eight employers in SWAG with another dozen in line to join the group in the near future. The student requirements are 144 hours a year of required online coursework, which some of the employers are actually paying their employees to take during work time.
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