As Alara Powell was completing her second year at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) in an Information Technology program, she attended a presentation at Bausch + Lomb promoting their Registered Apprenticeship program in conjunction with Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY. Alara was intrigued by this opportunity and promptly submitted her resume which resulted in her hire as an Electro-Mechanical Technician apprentice. She officially enrolled in the program in June of 2020.
Alara recognized the wealth of opportunities Bausch + Lomb’s apprenticeship program offered, and they matched her desire to learn and advance. She was quickly promoted and received pay increases. To meet her Registered Apprenticeship training requirements, she chose to take classes at Monroe Community College and was pleased to learn that her tuition was covered by SUNY’s apprenticeship program. Additional support came from the Manufacturing Association of Central New York (MACNY) and FLCC staff who assisted in ensuring Alara received credit for the classes she completed during her previous college enrollment. Alara completed her apprenticeship in December 2022.
Alara has set the bar HIGH, not only for the women who come after her in manufacturing, but everyone else too. While she was an apprentice, Alara’s mentor at the company, Keith Brickler, stated, “We go to her now with our questions! She’s always willing to help and she isn’t too shy to ask if she doesn’t understand something. That’s the kind of coworker you want. We’re really proud of her.”
Following Alara’s achievement with Registered Apprenticeship, Bausch + Lomb expanded into another occupational title. In addition to the Electro-Mechanical Technician trade, Bausch + Lomb added the Industrial Manufacturing Technician trade as an entry-level apprenticeship for new employees who are hired with little or no education or experience in manufacturing. Companies that are committed to the Registered Apprenticeship training model and are willing to build programs to accommodate the varying skill levels of new hires using SUNY community college campuses are strong partners with Apprenticeship Programs at SUNY. The great news is that these opportunities are still available! According to Paul Wiesner, Program Manager at Bausch + Lomb, “we are always actively looking to recruit for the right participants, either high school seniors or career changers who can handle the responsibility of a full-time job and college instruction at participating SUNYs.”
As for Alara, you can find her accomplishment as the first female Journey Worker in the Bausch + Lomb archives, a museum-like space near the entrance to the plant. Are you next?
