Machinist

Camden County College launched the Machinist Pathway Project to expand early career awareness and entry into the precision machining field. The cornerstone of this work is the Pre-Apprenticeship Machinist Boot Camp, developed for high school seniors through the college’s Career Now model. Students spend half of their school day completing high school requirements and the other half participating in training on campus.

The Boot Camp curriculum is aligned with the college’s 13-credit Computer Aided Manufacturing Certificate (CAM.CA) and prepares students to earn the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) Level One Machinist Certification in Measurement, Materials, and Safety. The program connects directly to Camden County College’s Associate in Applied Science in Precision Machining Technology, which articulates to a Bachelor of Science in Management at William Paterson University.

Implemented from August 28 to December 13, 2024, the pilot cohort included six high school seniors. Alongside technical skills training, students participated in job readiness workshops, including résumé writing, interviewing, and career search strategies. The program also included in-class employer visits, facility tours, and a presentation from a representative from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Office.

This innovative approach builds a direct pipeline from high school into high-demand manufacturing careers and establishes a replicable model to expand New Jersey’s precision machining workforce.