SAMA Honors MTI Students: Four Earn National Manufacturing Certification

( Bradenton , FL — March 24, 2008 ) The Sarasota Manatee Manufacturers Association (SAMA) honored four Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) students at SAMA's monthly meeting last week. The students were the first in the state of Florida to earn the Manufacturers' Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Production Technician Certification.

SAMA President Ron Van Ostenbridge congratulated the MTI grads and instructors on successfully attaining the nationally recognized MSSC certifications.

SAMA Executive Director Peter Straw said, "Manufacturers realize that their future depends upon a highly skilled workforce as represented by these Certified Production Technicians. The four disciplines currently covered by MSSC certifications are Quality, Safety, Manufacturing/Production Process and Maintenance.  These areas are the foundation for all manufacturing operations."

The four who earned the national credential are Jesse Joynes, a student in the Commercial Electrical program at MTI and a graduate of the University of Florida ; Ismael Aldama, a graduate of MTI and USF and an employee of Tropicana; Ian Miller, a Commercial Electrical student at MTI; and Michael (Tony) Horton, a student in the Welding program at MTI.

There are eight certified testing sites in Florida . MTI became a certified test site in March 2007.

Photo: (Left to right) Donna Puhalovich, MTI recruiter; Ian Miller, MSSC certificate earner; Dave Davis, MTI instructor; Sue Downs, MTI assistant director; Jesse Joynes, MSSC certificate earner; Ismael Aldama, MSSC certificate earner; Michael (Tony) Horton, MSSC certificate earner; Peter Straw, SAMA executive director; and Ron Van Ostenbridge, SAMA president.

The mission of Manatee Technical Institute is to meet and exceed our community's training and educational expectations. MTI is a 2007 Tampa Bay Business of the Year and has won more SkillsUSA medals than any other school in the nation for the past four years.

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