AC student secures apprenticeship at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Once again, the Machining Technology Program at Amarillo College has produced a student who has been accepted into the prestigious two-year machinist apprenticeship program at New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).
Travis Johnson, 20, will graduate from AC in December with an associate degree in advanced machining technology. But the Canyon High School product will not have to wait that long to begin his career-building adventure; his apprenticeship through LANL’s Machinist Pipeline Program (MPP) begins Sept. 25.
“It’s happening fast and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,” said Johnson, who will graduate from AC with a 3.99 grade point average. “I think my family and all my professors are excited for me, too.”
Upon successful completion of the MMP, apprentices receive their Journeyman’s Certificate, a credential that can be utilized to obtain employment pretty much anywhere.
“Travis is a very good student, a very deserving young man,” said Bob Gustin, instructor of machining technology at AC. “He worked for this and he earned it.”
Johnson is not AC’s first high-achieving graduate to earn an apprenticeship at LANL. A year ago, AC graduates Joseph Meraz and Emma Womack became AC’s first successful applicants to the program. And just like Johnson this year, Meraz and Womack were the beneficiaries not only of their own wherewithal, but of AC’s inclusion in a distinguished Consortium and an advantageous grant.
The grant AC received is through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP). It provides students with opportunities to meet leaders representing different Consortium partners and showcase their skills.
The Growing STEMS Consortium, with Texas Tech University as the lead institution, includes, among others, AC, Sandia and Los Alamos National Labs, and Pantex. The Consortium is designed to train the next generation of engineers for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) NNSA workforce.
MMP Manager Jon Lamar says program graduates typically receive permanent job offers to remain at LANL, and many indeed choose to stay on. He also says he has been more than pleased by the preparedness and topnotch dispositions of the LANL apprentices that have come his way so far from Amarillo College.
“The students who have come to us from Amarillo College are certainly prepared for our program when they arrive,” Lamar said. “Emma and Joseph not only arrived fully prepared for machining apprenticeships, but they proved to be extremely responsible, respectful, trustworthy, and dependable. Both are in their second year now, and as employees I couldn’t ask for any better.
“Although Travis has not started yet, the interactions that I have had with him have only strengthened my positive view of him,” Lamar said. “Throughout the interview, hiring, and onboarding process he has been extremely prepared, responsive, and appreciative. I believe that he will be another fantastic representative from AC.”
Additionally, Lamar expressed his gratitude to AC’s machining faculty for helping streamline the process. “They clearly take great pride in what they do. I appreciate the opportunity to recruit AC students, and I’m personally thankful to Bob Gustin for his hospitality, professionalism, and his ability to help maintain a superb machining program,” Lamar said.
AC’s workforce focus within the Texas Tech-led Consortium is not limited to machining but also extends to students studying welding, instrumentation, electromechanics, and non-destructive testing and evaluation.
Dr. Linda Munoz, AC’s dean of employer engagement and experiential learning, said she is gratified by the College’s inclusion in the Consortium which, coupled with the MSIPP grant-funding model, continues to pay dividends.
“Our partnership with LANL Machining through the MSIPP funding has been a particularly wonderful recruitment and retention tool for our machining program,” Munoz said. “We’re so proud of Travis, Emma and Joseph. They are exceptional representatives of AC, and their futures are extremely bright.”
Travis admits he nearly overlooked AC in his search for a machining education program. He had been looking at schools as far away as Waco, but in the eleventh hour he chose to remain close to home – and he is glad he did.
“Sort of at the last minute, I decided to give AC’s machining technology program a try and it was definitely the right decision,” he said. “The professors are all so great, not just the machining teachers, but all the teachers for all the required courses. It quickly became very obvious that every one of them cared about my success – everyone’s success.
“I would definitely encourage anyone in our community who is looking for a college to look very closely at AC.”