Graybeal Signs in Wenatchee is a family-owned business that takes great pride in the quality of their work. Their reputation for quality signage extends far beyond North Central Washington. In order to create their products, they need motivated, skilled workers who take similar pride in what they do.
Wenatchee Valley College referred Marcos to SkillSource after the Alcoa plant closure in January 2016. SkillSource and other WorkSource System partners met with Marcos and his coworkers onsite before the plant closed to discuss options for retraining and getting back to work.
Marcos didn’t waste any time! He began his first quarter in the Industrial Technology – Machining Program at WVC the same month of his layoff from Alcoa. Wenatchee Valley College ran a special class with an additional instructor that began a few weeks after the traditional start of the quarter, in order to accommodate Marcos and several of his former coworkers.
WVC’s Worker Retraining grant funded the first quarter of Marcos’s classes. While waiting for his program at WVC to begin, Marcos attended the ACE workshop at SkillSource, where his assessment and aptitude scores confirmed his training choice and helped him explore the labor market in his new field. SkillSource helped pay for his next two quarters of classes, including tuition, books, supplies, and tools. Trade Act funding was available for Marcos through Employment Security to complete his education.
That summer, Marcos began an internship as a Router Technician at Graybeal Signs as part of his WVC Cooperative Work Experience. Upon completion of his internship, he earned his associates degree from Wenatchee Valley College and was hired full time. Congratulations Marcos and Graybeal Signs!
