Steelworkers – the next generation

Steel is everywhere. It’s in the cars we drive, in the buildings where we live and work, and in the tools and machines we use every day. But as the tagline for ArcelorMittal’s Steelworker for the Future program says, “this is not your grandfather’s steel industry.” Such is the versatility of steel that it has adapted to the needs of different generations. The Steelworker for the Future program, designed for young people who want a career in the steel industry, offers a unique opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’. Trainees study for an Associate in Applied Sciences degree while also spending time on-site, combining both academic and practical learning.

The average age of a steelworker working for ArcelorMittal in the United States is around 57 years. The Steelworker for the Future program, which saw its first graduates reach the marketplace in November 2011, is changing that.

The program includes 4 semesters (2 years) of classroom training at a participating institution and up to 24 weeks (6 months) of on-site training at ArcelorMittal. The pilot program of this initiative was launched in 2008 with Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana and Prairie State College in Illinois in the USA. Eighteen of the 23 students were hired by ArcelorMittal upon graduation; this 78% successful recruitment rate is higher than some of the Tier 1 universities around the world.

Andrew Sweeney, one of the proud Steelworker for the Future graduates of the Class of 2010 at Prairie State, shares his experience: “I was working in residential electrical work when I learned about the opportunity to become a steelworker and applied. At Prairie State, I gained valuable classroom and practical experience that prepared me for work in a steel mill.

Through my internship at ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor, the hands-on training and support from co-workers gave me the skills and confidence I needed to do the job well and safely. I recognize that I could have explored opportunities elsewhere, but the work and the people convinced me that ArcelorMittal was the right choice for me.

Today, I work as a Maintenance Technician Electrical for ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor.”

In collaboration with the United Steelworkers union, ArcelorMittal Cleveland and Lakeland Community College, the program has now been launched in Ohio and is open for applicants who hold a high-school diploma.

“As more men and women near retirement age, many manufacturers like ArcelorMittal will lose skilled workers,” says Eric Hauge, Vice President and General Manager, ArcelorMittal Cleveland. “Steelworker for the Future will help ensure that we have a prepared, skilled workforce in the future, allowing us to continue to compete in the global marketplace and produce safe, sustainable steel in Cleveland, Ohio and throughout the USA.”

To find out more about the 6 participating institutions and to apply, visit www.steelworkerforthefuture.com