GROB Systems, a global provider in the development of manufacturing systems and machine tools, celebrates the 30th anniversary of its highly successful apprenticeship program. The program offers technical training and soft skills to prepare apprentices to be both highly-skilled technicians and well-rounded employees. It also includes electrical training in how to read electrical diagrams, wire control cabinets, troubleshoots machine faults, and program PLCs.

In its 30 years, GROB has hired and trained over 380 apprentices. These trained apprentices now work across the company making an impact everywhere from machine and panel shops, to sub-assembly, debug, final assembly, and even to the engineering, marketing, and sales & proposals departments. Almost 40% of GROB’s current workforce in Bluffton is made up of past and current apprentices and currently includes one C-level, two Managers, 10 Supervisors, and 11 Foreman across various departments.

Mike Meyer was a member of the inaugural class of 1990 and is now a Project Leader in GROB’s Mechanical Engineering department. “The people of GROB are really the best part. Starting with local people in Bluffton and the surrounding areas in Ohio, then all of the international people we get a chance to work with, for me this is far and away from the best part of GROB,” says Meyer.