Building New York's Advanced Manufacturing Workforce: Semikron Danfoss Celebrates its First GAINS Registered Apprenticeship Graduates

Graduation coincides with National Apprenticeship Day 2025, underscoring the role of Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) in building career pathways and strengthening the U.S. semiconductor and advanced manufacturing workforce

UTICA, N.Y., May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, Semikron Danfoss celebrated 15 apprentices who successfully completed the Industrial Manufacturing Technician RA program, advancing their careers in New York's growing semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industry.

The graduation, held at Semikron Danfoss' Utica facility, coincided with the U.S. Department of Labor's (USDOL) newly designated National Apprenticeship Day—an evolution from the traditional National Apprenticeship Week held in November—reaffirming the critical role of RAs in workforce development. National Apprenticeship Day is a nationwide celebration recognizing the success and impact of apprenticeships in building strong career pathways and strengthening the U.S. workforce.

The RA program at Semikron Danfoss is supported by MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, serving as the Group Sponsor under the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement's™ (NIICA) Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors (GAINS)—a national workforce development program through USDOL. The program is supported by Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) which provides Related Technical Instruction (RTI) for the program.

"This graduation is a powerful example of how Registered Apprenticeship Programs are transforming workforce development in New York," said Michael Frame, Executive Vice President of MACNY. "By combining industry-led training with educational support, we're not just preparing individuals for jobs, we're launching meaningful careers in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors. Semikron Danfoss is demonstrating what's possible when employers invest in their people, and we're proud to support their efforts in building the workforce of the future."

The manufacturing sector supports more than 420,000 jobs statewide, and New York has attracted over $100 billion in semiconductor investments since 2022. Nationally, RA completers see strong outcomes, with an average starting salary of over $77,000 and 94% retained employment nine months after RA completion. Programs like the Industrial Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship help workers access high-skill, high-wage career pathways while strengthening New York's advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries.

"We're incredibly proud of our apprentices and the dedication they've shown throughout this program," said Michael Godsen, General Manager at Semikron Danfoss. "Registered Apprenticeship has allowed us to invest in our team's growth while ensuring we're building the advanced manufacturing workforce, we need for the future. Programs like this strengthen our company, our community, and the broader manufacturing industry here in New York."

"This celebration is a reminder of what's possible when we work collaboratively to build real pathways between education, training, and industry. Through initiatives like GAINS and the launch of New York's first Career Opportunity Hub, NIICA is helping to meet critical workforce needs along the I-90 corridor and beyond—strengthening the industries that are vital to America's future. This progress is made possible by strong partnerships across New York and the nation, including with MACNY, that share our commitment to expanding opportunities for workers and communities. We're congratulate Semikron Danfoss and MACNY – and are proud to celebrate these apprentices," said NIICA's President & CEO Mike Russo.

Skill-based learning and RAs are key to building a workforce that can meet the demands of advanced manufacturing and semiconductor innovation. As these industries continue to grow, programs like GAINS are helping ensure that workers have clear, attainable pathways to high-skill, high-wage careers—and that employers have the talent they need to stay competitive.

For more information about NIICA and the GAINS program, visit www.niica.org. For more information about MACNY, visit www.macny.org. For more information about Semikron Danfoss, visit www.semikron-danfoss.com.

About the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ 
NIICA is a 501(c)(3) organization that is responsible for a national strategy to build the talent pipeline to support strategic industry sectors – tech-based industries and advanced manufacturing tied to U.S. national security and global competitiveness.

NIICA is a nation's leader in semiconductor talent pipeline development strategy and is the U.S. Department of Labor's national Registered Apprenticeship industry Intermediary responsible for establishing and expanding apprenticeships throughout the semiconductor and broader nanotechnology-related industries and advanced manufacturing supply chain. All related programming and support are being advanced through NIICA's Center for Skill-Based Learning and National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative.

This project has been funded, either wholly or in part, with Federal funds from the Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration under Contract number, 1605C2-22-C-006, the contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Labor, nor documents mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement of same by the U.S. Government.

SOURCE National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement