Three merchants in Somerset County are learning to make some key components that keep the US Navy's ships afloat and move at standard speeds, and they are improving their processing skills.

Logan Miller of Meyersdale, 23, Thomas Walters of Listie, 19, and Ethan Birth, 18, are in Participate in the Global/SFC Valve's new apprenticeship program at Somerset, which manufactures standard valves and components used by the US Navy, including ships such as the Somerset.

Company president Linda Haining said that Global/SFC Valve was approved by the state government last year to start the apprenticeship program. On October 15, the company received a $21,203 grant from the pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship funding program of the State Department of Community and Economic Development.

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The grant covers the costs involved in Global/SFC Valve's classroom and on-the-job training for these three apprentices. The courses are provided by the National Tool and Processing Association-University, also known as NTMA-U.

Each of these three people is in the first year of training. Miller and Walters were hired by Global/SFC Valve in 2020 and started training last year. Birth was hired in July 2021 and began training shortly thereafter.

Global/SFC Valve training host Sherry Abel said that the four-year NTMA-U program requires each apprentice to complete 568 hours of classroom teaching and 8,000 hours of processing time.

"What makes this project very special is that in three (more) years, these gentlemen will get their skilled worker credentials through Pennsylvania," she said. "It's like a four-year (university) degree-they will also become machinists (level 3). If they succeed through the program, the company will also increase their salaries every year."

Haining said that the apprenticeship program has always been the company's long-term goal. Former CEO and President Bob Kirst saw similar projects offered by other companies and said he wanted to create something there.

"Having an apprenticeship program has always been Bob's dream, but unfortunately, he died before the plan was implemented," she said.

Miller, Walters, and Birth all learned the basics of machining through the Mechanical Technology Program of the Somerset County Technical Center in high school. Walters and Birth also worked part-time at Global/SFC Valve through a collaborative project with the Technical Center during high school.

"Because we got them from the (SCTC) program, they do have some basic skills," said Skip Bryner, global/SFC valve production manager. "So you are not starting from scratch. They come in with a wealth of knowledge and a desire to learn.

"With what they learned there, they came in, and they will definitely keep up faster. All three of them have made progress, and they have been working with someone to become more independent."

As apprentices, these three people have the opportunity to work full-time and earn salaries while improving their education and obtaining a skilled mechanic certificate, as well as company benefits such as health insurance and retirement savings plans.

"You can go to a university and get the same skilled worker essay," said Sheng. "In fact, there are three schools in Pittsburgh that offer very similar courses, and you get the same skilled worker thesis from the same college. But those who go to those universities and get the same degree, they don’t get benefits, they don’t have those four years Medical benefits, they didn't have a salary for those four years-and they had debts (at graduation).

"Entering this apprenticeship, we are paid, we have no debts, we have full medical benefits, and we are receiving retirement benefits."

Heining stated that the apprenticeship program also enables Global/SFC Valve to invest in its future workforce by hiring and training three young businessmen who are highly recommended by SCTC lecturers.

"It definitely helps our workforce," she said. "We now have three young people (working). Many of our mechanics are getting old and preparing to retire, so we can have some alternatives.

"For years, the manufacturing industry has been talking about this issue,'Hey, your workforce is getting old and you need to involve some young people.' This is when we came up with the apprenticeship program."

Breiner added: "This is an investment in employees and the company."

In addition to these three new apprentices, Global/SFC Valve is training two long-term employees who want to obtain a skilled mechanic certificate-each employee has approximately 20 years of work experience. They are expected to graduate next June.

"They only need two years (study) because they already have experience," Haining said.

Global/SFC Valve has 50 employees, including mechanics, welders, inspectors and assemblers. These employees work together to produce components, help the U.S. Navy operate its nearly 300 active ships and submarines, dispatch tankers to refuel ships at sea, and safely transport military personnel around the world.

"It's not just one person working on the entire valve, but the entire team working hard to devote time and energy to the parts," Walters said.

Haining added: “If one of the valves fails, it may crash the submarine. The products we make are life-threatening. We are considered an important supplier to the Navy.”

The three apprentices said that they learned a lot from the training and thanked for the apprenticeship opportunities.

"I continue to do this because it is more helpful for me in the company to learn more about the transaction," Miller said. "This will make me a better mechanic and more valuable to the company."

Walters added: "This means I can learn more, which is very helpful for the company, because the better I do at work and study, the better the company."

Birth agreed and added that he was proud to be able to support the national army. He mentioned that his brother is currently serving in the US Army.

"I want to be a mechanical engineer in the Air Force... but I can't serve," he said. "This is one of the reasons why I decided to come here. I can't serve, but at least that way, first, this is a great company (to work for), and second, it creates valuable parts for the men and women who are serving To make their lives easier."