ICATT Apprenticeship Program

It was great welcoming the HARTING-North America team to ICATT at GACC Midwest - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc.! 🤝

We had the pleasure of sitting down with -Frederik Lange, Nancy Lesnicki, Austin Khy, Justin Bartel, and David Thiessen from Harting US and Harting Germany for a productive conversation about their apprenticeship program.

We covered the full arc of the Mechatronics apprenticeship — program structure, and certification, as well as other possible programs like CNC Machining.

We also explored the J-1 Visa program with Aimee Goodman from GACC Midwest, diving into the differences between apprenticeship and dual study visas, and how ICATT's recruitment opportunities help companies build lasting pipelines of skilled talent.

Thank you to the Harting team for making the trip, we're excited for what's ahead! 🚀

A Major Expansion for Workforce Development in Iowa City!

ALPLA Group recently celebrated the grand opening of its brand-new, $15 million Training and Development Center in Iowa City — and what a celebration it was!

This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated exclusively to in-company training, giving ALPLA the ability to build and manage their own workforce pipeline from the ground up. Since launching their apprenticeship program in 2024, ALPLA and trainer Dennis Coer have already made incredible strides in developing the next generation of skilled workers — and this center is the next big step in that journey.

The opening brought together an incredible group of guests, including:
🔘 Philipp Lehner, CEO of ALPLA
🔘 Tasos Pourloukakis, Managing Director, ALPLA North America
🔘 Mirna Morcos, SHRM- SCP, HR Director, ALPLA North America
🔘 Mayor Bruce Teague, Iowa City
🔘 Dr. Petra Schneebauer, Ambassador of Austria to the USA

Representatives traveled from ALPLA locations across the globe, spanning from Mexico to Austria, a testament to just how significant this investment is, not only for Iowa City, but for the entire ALPLA organization.

This center also marks a powerful step forward for the broader Iowa City community, strengthening the partnership between ALPLA and Kirkwood Community College to create a sustainable, local talent pipeline that benefits everyone.

ICATT is proud to provide the structure and quality control that keeps this program running at the highest standard, and we're excited to see everything this new center makes possible.

Congratulations to the entire ALPLA team!