Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary along with a host of industry and community partners were on hand February 17th, both in person and virtually, cutting the ribbon to officially launch the MASC Plastics Training Program.
Plastics injection molding is more important than ever because it's used to create medical viles, multiple use storage containers and high efficiency machines make it fast and dependable.
From MASC's newsletter:
As most of you already know, MASC has been a community built foundation with strong focus on furthering education and training for Connecticut manufacturing. Our mission has been is to provide in-demand, high-quality Manufacturing training, based on input from employers, to deliver a skilled workforce which meets the demands of local industry. Having been around for many years, thanks to city support, it became apparent that MASC needed to specifically address employment requirements of the Plastics Manufacturing sector. Consequently, with the leadership of Rich Dupont and new Executive Director Cyndi Zoldy, a targeted training program has been developed to produce entry-level job candidates ready to work. Program design incorporates input from several manufacturers, which include Forum Plastics, Seitz Corp and PTA Plastics, in adapting a pipeline curriculum originally formulated by Three Rivers Community College. Facility upgrades are nearly completed including the addition of a state of the art Wittmann-Battenfeld fully operational injection molding cell with an industry 4.0 robotic arm, as an instructional centerpiece. Class recruitment begins shortly with an opening event sometime early March. Stay tuned for further details as MASC launches a new promising and ready workforce development program designed by manufacturers.
Meet the Executive Director
Many of you already know Cyndi Zoldy from her leadership tenure with SMA, the Smaller Manufacturers Association. With twenty-six years of management, accounting, finance and educational background, Cyndi brings not only a wealth of experience, but an understanding of local industry needs for its workforce. Charged with enhancing MASC program1ning in the post-secondary education and training arena, Mrs. Zoldy focuses on making school wide updates, adding new instructional staff, expanding shop floor equipment and growing the programs offered at the center, starting with CT's first in-house Introduction to Plastics offering. Cyndi is also civically involved, serving on the Boards of several councils, chambers and foundations supporting Connecticut manufacturing. Best of all, she's married to a local manufacturer... making her work simply part of the family.
Fred Dobbins, lead instructor, has a 35-year history in the plastics industry. Learning the manufacturing trade as part of his family's business, he became a mold and tool maker. Fred then evolved to tool room management, supporting operation of twenty injection molding machines ranging from 60t through 400t (including automation, decoration and assembly). From there he went on to engineering management and eventually as Vice President for manufacturing operations Fred ensured the achievement of key performance indicators, operational goals, realignment initiatives, productivity improvements, and cost reduction programs. Fred credits much of his success to excellent mentors throughout his career and now finds himself in a position to deliver his expertise to the next generation of plastics manufacturers. MASC is fortunate to have him as a critical part of the team that will move this initiative forward.
Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary along with a host of industry and community partners were on hand February 17th, both in person and virtually, cutting the ribbon to officially launch the MASC Plastics Training Program. Among the participants were Rich Dupont (RDA), Cathy Awwad (Director NRWIB), Cyndi Zoldy (MASC), Colin Cooper (CT Chief Manufacturing Officer), Kelli Vallieres (CT Workforce Development Unit), Todd Berch (CT Apprenticeship Manager), Evan Berns (Seitz LLC), Mark Polinsky (Forum Plastics), Michael Rocheleau (PTA Plastics) and many others celebrating this exciting new initiative in support of Connecticut's Manufacturing Industry. There was a remarkable level of not only representation, but true enthusiasm for the potential this offers. Mayor O'Leary, in particular, noted the history and evolution of the MASC facility with pride in how all segments of the community came together to make things happen in his city. With the level of support and commitment stakeholders have shown, this ceremony marks only the beginning of great things to come. So why not get involved with what's happening in Waterbury manufacturing?
Read more about the program here.
Contact Kevin Canady to learn more about training opportunities:
203-574-6971 ext. 429
[email protected]