RTMA Graduates 2nd Advance 2 Apprenticeship Cohort

Rochester - The Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) and Monroe Community College (MCC) today celebrated the second graduation for the Advance 2 Apprenticeship (A2A) Pre-Apprenticeship Program at the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center (FWD Center) in Rochester. Twelve participants completed the four-week, 72-hour training program which included the Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) credential through Tooling U-SME, OSHA-10, soft skills and work readiness skills to support the manufacturing infrastructure. 

“We are incredibly proud of what this cohort has accomplished,” said Ruth Thompson, RTMA Pre‑Apprenticeship & Training Manager. “Their hard work, resilience, and commitment showed in the classroom, the technology lab, and every hands-on activity. Five of our eleven graduates are women—an achievement that directly supports our region’s goal of increasing the number of women entering advanced manufacturing careers. We are honored to walk alongside these pre-apprentices as they continue their journeys toward becoming the next generation of skilled apprentices in the Finger Lakes manufacturing workforce.” 

 “The Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center is proud to deliver this customized training program, which empowers individuals to realize their potential and achieve their career goals,” said Siva Visveswaran, Director of the FWD Center. “Our continued partnership with the RTMA strengthens the region’s workforce and creates real opportunity through hands-on training that prepares participants to be workplace ready. We saw tremendous interest and engagement from students working with our Universal Robots. As smart automation continues to expand across the region, the demand for skilled automation technicians will only continue to grow and RTMA’s A2A program helps build that pipeline.” 

A2A offers employability skill development, hands-on training, and guaranteed job interviews with local companies. Pre-apprentices toured several advanced manufacturing companies in the greater Rochester region, gained hands-on experience, built their confidence and are ready to join the workforce.  RTMA’s Advance 2 Apprenticeship program helps to remove barriers by allowing our pre-apprentices to focus on their studies and skillsets. RTMA assists with childcare, transportation, equipment, clothing, steel-toed shoes, and offers milestone stipends to participants.  

Additional cohorts are being planned for the spring and fall of 2026. For more information on Advance 2 Apprenticeship Cohorts, you can visit https://www.rtma.org/advance2apprenticeship , contact the RTMA at 585-510-6557 or RThompson@RTMA.org. Advanced 2 Apprenticeship is supported by the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, Empire State Development, the ESL Charitable Foundation, Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities, and RochesterWorks.