Closing the Skills Gap With Apprentice Programs

Unlike traditional four-year programs that often lead to sizeable debt and uncertain career prospects, registered apprenticeships combine paid, hands-on training with accredited classroom instruction. Participants “earn while they learn,” gaining industry-recognized credentials without sacrificing income. According to recent U.S. Department of Labor data, completers of registered apprenticeship programs command an average starting salary of roughly $80,000, and more than 90 percent remain employed with their sponsor companies after graduation. gao.govapprenticeship.gov

PSS’s Apprenticeship Programs are built on three pillars:

We partner with Oakton Community College, Harper College, and other regional institutions, as well as programs sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Labor, to ensure every apprentice masters both practical skills and the underlying theory.

Under the guidance of senior journeymen, apprentices rotate through stamping, coiling, machining, and quality assurance departments. This exposure develops well-rounded professionals ready to troubleshoot, innovate, and lead.

Upon completion, graduates advance into roles such as Lead CNC Setter, Tooling Engineer, or Production Supervisor—with compensation that grows alongside their capabilities. Many of our current department managers began as PSS apprentices.

Nationally, there are far more openings for skilled manufacturing roles than there are qualified applicants. For individuals with mechanical aptitude and a desire to build tangible products, a PSS apprenticeship offers:

• Competitive wages and full benefits from the first day on the job.
• Tuition assistance for related instruction—no student-loan burden.
• A clear progression toward high-paying, in-demand positions that cannot be offshored.
• The satisfaction of contributing to critical components used in medical devices, automotive assemblies, and commercial products worldwide.

Television personality and trades advocate Mike Rowe has been a leading national voice in promoting skilled labor as a viable and respectable career path. Through his mikeroweWORKS Foundation, he has awarded millions in scholarships to individuals pursuing training in trades such including tool-and-die making. Rowe frequently cites the U.S. Department of Education’s data showing that over 40% of college graduates work in jobs that do not require a degree, while more than 7 million skilled labor jobs remain unfilled. His message is simple: "We are lending money we don’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist." At Perfection Spring & Stamping, we fully support Rowe’s efforts, and we believe that for many young people, a skilled trade offers greater job security, financial independence, and personal fulfillment than the traditional college route.

Before committing to any post-secondary path, weigh the return on investment. A PSS apprenticeship delivers a credential, a career, and a paycheck simultaneously—an alternative many college graduates wish they had considered earlier.

If you—or someone you know—thrives on solving mechanical challenges and learning by doing, explore our current apprentice openings at https://www.pss-corp.com/careers.html or contact our Human Resources team at hr@pss-corp.com.com.

Invest in skills that last a lifetime, and grow with a company that has been perfecting metal-forming excellence since 1955.