MENTOR – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) welcomed U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia to Northeast Ohio. Together, they toured Fredon Corp., a local manufacturer located in Mentor. In addition to a tour of Fredon’s facilities, the Secretary’s visit also included a working lunch with Fredon leadership and a meeting with Fredon’s young apprentices and employees.

Founded in 1969, Fredon Corp. is a veteran-owned business that specializes in precision machining and serves customers in the aerospace, electronics, machinery and equipment, medical, nuclear, and transportation industries. Fredon Corp. is also known for its innovative high school apprenticeship program, the Cannons of Fredon. Notably, Fredon Corp. President Alyson Scott developed the Alliance for Working Together’s RoboBots competition to provide high school students with opportunities to learn about careers in manufacturing.

“I was honored to welcome Secretary Scalia to the Buckeye State and show him the best of what Ohio manufacturing has to offer,” said Joyce. “As someone who has long supported policies to strengthen workforce training and close the skills gap, I’m proud that many of our manufacturers here in Northeast Ohio, like Fredon, focus on recruiting and inspiring the next generation of workers. I thank the Secretary for taking the time to meet with the hardworking team at Fredon today – including their young apprentices – and look forward to continuing to support his efforts to boost apprenticeships and enhance employment opportunities for workers during these challenging times.”

“I’d like to thank the Fredon Corporation for allowing me to visit today and for the informative discussions I had with apprentices, workers, and company leadership,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “Employers across the nation are increasingly relying on apprenticeship programs to give workers the skills needed to contribute to our nation’s economic comeback.  President Trump’s actions will also be crucial to powering our economy out of the pandemic.  His decisions to expand apprenticeship programs, cut taxes, roll back unnecessary regulatory requirements, and to implement fair and reciprocal trade agreements like the USMCA will help us rebuild our economy stronger than before.”

“We thank Secretary Scalia for working to keep manufacturing in the public’s eye,” said Roger Sustar, CEO of Fredon Corp. “We were honored to have him here with his staff today and our Congressman Dave Joyce. The future of this country remains in the hands of those who make things – our work helps the world go around each and every day.”

“It was great to see the genuine interest and excitement Mr. Secretary had in meeting with our apprentices,” said Fredon Corp. President Alyson Scott. “He shared some insights and thoughts on behalf of the administration and discussed how important the AWT Apprenticeship Program – and others like it – are to the continued growth and success of American manufacturing. It was a terrific opportunity for our apprentices to share their stories on why they chose manufacturing and what they are looking forward to learning as they continue their apprenticeships.”

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) $9 million in grants to support its activities that serve, improve and expand the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) within the Buckeye State. Ohio has more than 1,100 registered apprenticeship programs in countless diverse fields, including aerospace, construction, energy, health care, manufacturing and utilities. Each program includes, at minimum, 2,000 hours of structured on-the-job training and 144 hours per year of related technical instruction. Click here for a list of current apprenticeship opportunities in Ohio through RAP. Click here for more information about the $9 million grant awarded to ODJFS.

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