WAYNE, AUGUST 16, 2012 _ Continuing Governor Chris Christie’s industry-focused approach toward re-employing New Jersey residents, 14 students graduated a “CNC Machinist” program today at  Passaic County Technical Institute that was funded through a grant issued by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD).

“One of the students already is reporting to a new job next week and many others have interviews with multiple companies. This this is an important training initiative, one that focuses on the needs of New Jersey’s key industries and provides people with the hope of entering new careers in our advanced and lean manufacturing industry sector,” said LWD Deputy Commissioner Aaron Fichtner, who attended the graduation ceremony.

The CNC Machinist program, which trained the students in “computer numerical control machining,” was created through a $74,000 grant from the LWD in partnership with the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce & Economic Development; ManufactureNJ, which is the state’s Advanced Manufacturing Talent Network, and the Passaic County Technical Institute. The program is one of five separate training efforts funded by the LWD that are designed to give candidates skills that are in demand among employers in New Jersey’s key industries.

In CNC machining, products or product components that are designed through computers are produced, assembled and manufactured by trained workers who operate computer-guided machinery programmed to perform multiple functions in the manufacturing process.

Among the many people who honored the graduates at today’s ceremony were Meredith Aronson, director of ManufactureNJ; Diana Lobosco, chief school administrator of the Passaic County Technical Institute, and Mark Cacace, the program coordinator.

-30-