Altec Receives Statewide Honor for Building Career Pathways Through Registered Pre-Apprenticeship
Published: June 26, 2026
Mount Airy, N.C.—ApprenticeshipNC presented its 2026 Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Employer Award to Altec during a ceremony on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the Mount Airy–Surry County Airport Terminal. The annual award recognizes employers that demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing Registered Pre-Apprenticeship opportunities across North Carolina. The event brought together elected officials, education and business leaders, apprentices, and pre-apprentices to celebrate the company’s achievements and commitment to expanding work-based learning opportunities.
Altec has partnered with Surry-Yadkin Works—which includes four public school systems, Elkin City Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools, and collaborates with Surry Community College—to build a highly integrated Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program that strengthens the transition from education to employment. Together, the partners deliver Surry-Yadkin Works FLEET (Fostering Learning through Education, Employment, and Trades), a regional initiative that combines high school coursework with paid pre-apprenticeship experiences in manufacturing. What distinguishes Altec’s program is its fully embedded structure, in which students spend their school day at the facility and are supported directly by Altec as both educator and employer. This immersive approach provides students with real-world experience, industry-recognized credentials, and a seamless transition into advanced manufacturing careers and Registered Apprenticeships.
The ceremony opened with a welcome from Altec General Manager Ben Griffin, who recognized the collaborative efforts that have made Altec’s Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Program a success.
During the award presentation, John Loyack, Vice President of Economic Development for the North Carolina Community College System, applauded Altec’s investment in youth, saying, “Altec is helping redefine what is possible for young men and women and their communities. By investing in young people, fostering strong partnerships, and creating meaningful opportunities, Altec is building more than a workforce pipeline—it is changing lives.”
Accepting the award on behalf of Altec, Daniel Haymore, Talent Sourcing Program Manager, expressed appreciation for the recognition and the partnerships that have contributed to the program’s success:
Altec is honored to have been selected as the ApprenticeshipNC Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Employer for 2026. We’re committed to investing in the next generation and providing opportunities for students in our communities to develop their professional skills. Through our partnership with the Surry-Yadkin Works FLEET program, we have hosted almost 100 pre-apprentices to date, currently employing more than 40. The FLEET and traditional pre-apprenticeship programs are slated to host more than 50 students combined for the 2026–2027 school year. We are thankful for the privilege of being part of the Mount Airy community and look forward to connecting many more students to real-world manufacturing experience in the years to come.
Following Haymore’s remarks, Mike Fenley, Field Representative for the Office of Senator Thom Tillis, presented a congratulatory letter recognizing Altec’s statewide honor and its continued investment in the development of skilled professionals. The event also included comments from Altec apprentice Alex Hicks, who shared how the program helped launch his career in advanced manufacturing.
Dr. David R. Shockley, President of Surry Community College, reflected on the local partnerships that have created meaningful pathways for local students, saying, “The [program’s] foundation is built on relationships, trust, belief in our community, in our youth, in our students, in our faculty and staff, in our public schools. Believing in them and feeling like we could help our community flourish in a time when rural America is struggling mightily to stay ahead.”
The event concluded with reflections from Dr. Travis L. Reeves in his final official speaking engagement as Superintendent of Surry County Schools before his retirement on June 30. Reeves recognized Altec’s willingness to develop innovative approaches to workforce development and create learning opportunities that respond to the evolving needs of industry. He highlighted the importance of forward-thinking employers that invest in youth and help prepare the next generation of skilled professionals.