FARRELL

Premier training scholarships offered

Looking to attract workers, Premier Hydraulics Inc. is offering full scholarships to prospective employees who want to attend a training program.

The Farrell company’s president, Kyle Klaric, said 10 to 15 people will be given scholarships to CNC Tek Inc. based on their scores on an interest and aptitude test given by West Central Job Partnership.

The company, which employs about 80, is seeking mechanically inclined people who are looking for a job or a new career.

"It’s a great opportunity for people if they want to make a challenging career change," he said.

Premier will give graduates the opportunity to be hired by the company, which makes hydraulic valves and fittings for off-highway original equipment manufacturers.

The company is desperately trying to attract operators of its computer numerically controlled machines.

"Our growth is stunted by a lack of people -- nothing else," said Klaric. "We have the equipment. We have the orders."

Anybody can apply but applicants must pass a drug test before they can take the test, Klaric said.

CNC Tek is a separate company from Premier but is housed at Premier and its president is Todd Diehl, Premier’s vice president of operations. CNC trains in the operation of computer numerically controlled machines, covering quality control, inserts and drill strengths.

Premier is building an addition to house a classroom for CNC.

CNC offered its first class in July. It was designed to be a 15-week course, with three weeks of that spent in the Premier shop with machine operators, but is being extended to October, said Klaric.

The next CNC sessions will start in early October, with morning and evening classes planned.

West Central will be giving the System for Assessment and Group Evaluation test, which also is known as Comput-A-Match, said program director Debra Donahue.

The test measures reasoning, math and language, and two hands-on activities, including putting fittings together, examining spatial and manual dexterity skills, she said.

"You get a report comparing the person to what’s needed for the occupation," Ms. Donahue said.

West Central is offering the test for Premier as part of a pilot program in which tests can be customized to an employer, she said.

The test dates have not been set.

To apply to take the tests, call Premier at 342-6506 or (888) 447-4581. No calls should be made to West Central.