“I’m filled with gratitude to be given this opportunity,” said James Brown, one of the 16 Mosaic apprenticeship students taking training with Corporate College at Airside. The students are taking electrical and instrumentation automation classes that will provide them with the basic technical knowledge and skills needed in high performance manufacturing. They learn how to use computers and programmable logic controllers that interact with a variety of mechanical devices.

To enter the program, James had to take an aptitude test and a general knowledge test. Only the top three Mosaic employees at the Riverview plant would be able to enter the program. James finished fourth, and it looked like he wouldn’t attend. Then one of the top three men decided to retire.

“This opened the opportunity for me, and I was excited to go into this E and I (electrical and instrumentation) program,” James said. “Out of 300 guys at the plant, I’m the one who’s here. This training makes me much more valuable.”

“Management is investing in me; that makes me even more committed to Mosaic. That’s where my loyalty lies,” he continued. “Since they think that much of me, I’m not going to let them down. How many other companies pay you to attend school?”

For two days a week, James and his fellow students attend classes at Airside, and the other three days they work at their plant in the Tampa Bay area. The classes started in July 2008, and they’ll complete the training in April 2010. The curriculum includes manufacturing essentials, industrial skills, and trade-specific skills.

The key element in this training is to ensure that these students learn how to operate and troubleshoot the programmable logic controller—a digital computer used for automation of industrial processes, such as the control of machinery on the factory assembly line.

Mosaic is the world’s leading producer of phosphate-based chemical fertilizers, supplying 75 percent of the U.S. demand for fertilizer. A Mosaic study determined that 60 percent of its critically-skilled employees planned to retire in seven years. In a proactive move to curtail a workforce deficit, Mosaic asked PCC’s Corporate College to train its workers to be ready to take over these positions. The Corporate College partnered with leading training and component manufacturers to develop and deliver the training program.

Students who successfully complete the program receive a nationally-recognized certification and earn 15 hours of college credit that can be used for an associate of science (AS) degree. “This is an excellent program,” said James. “It really is opening the door of opportunity for me.” He plans to continue his education and pursue an AS and then a BS degree. “I will take all the experience and knowledge I receive at PCC and strive to be the best I can in my job,” he concluded.