
Episode #501
Cutting Edge Careers: Machining Apprenticeship Pathways with Machinists Institute, IAM Union, & Partner In Employment
In this episode, host Marc Goldberg interviews two dedicated apprentices with the Machinists Institute — Tristen Herbig and Kristin Mayer — along with Shana Peschek , Machinists Institute's founding Executive Director and current Training & Apprenticeships Director with t he International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union (IAM) , and Hien Kieu, Executive Director at Partner in Employment (PIE), a community-based organizational partner to Machinists Institute. Tristen and Kristin share their apprenticeship experiences with the Machinists Institute at their respective employers, MSHS Pacific Power Group in the Puget Sound area and Koontz Machine and Welding in Coos Bay, Oregon. They offer insights on how organizations can support and scale apprenticeship programs, and reflect on how this education and training experience has shaped their careers and lives. Shana builds on the conversation with Tristen and Kristin and elaborates on the Machinists Institute apprenticeship model, which includes critical support services for learners such as childcare to help ensure participants can address different needs to be able to complete their apprenticeship program. She emphasizes the important role of community partnerships in MI's scaling efforts with employers, community colleges, and community-based organizations like Partner in Employment. Hien describes how Partner in Employment offers pathways to good jobs for immigrant and refugee populations in the Seattle/Tacoma area, including a dynamic pre-apprenticeship program with Machinists Institute that has prepared many clients for registered apprenticeships and machining-related employment opportunities across the region. She shares valuable recommendations on effective partnerships and how to center learners in this collaborative work. This season of the podcast comes to you through the support of Ascendium Education .






