A new Registered Apprenticeship Program has arrived in New Hampshire’s North Country to help advance responsible forestry in the region and support critical workforce needs. The partnership between ApprenticeshipNH, a workforce training program of the Community College System of New Hampshire, Lakes Region Community College (LRCC), White Mountains Community College (WMCC) and Rotobec USA Inc., a heavy equipment manufacturer specializing in the forestry, scrap recycling, waste management, rail, and industrial markets, has established a new North Country Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP).
The multi-partner collaboration includes 324 hours of related technical instruction for participants delivered across Rotobec internal training, and WMCC and LRCC programming, with approximately two years of on-the-job training.
ApprenticeshipNH’s Christopher Lalmond, ABA Hub Developer (Northern), worked closely with college workforce development managers and program coordinators to develop the curriculum that will include AC/DC electrical theory, fluid power systems, forklift operation, OSHA 30 certification and crane operation, among other necessary factory floor soft skills.
“As a North Country resident myself, there are people in my community who work in forestry and at Rotobec,” said Lalmond. “These training programs lead to more than a job— they lead to supporting our North Country community. It’s gratifying to help build something high-quality that directly benefits the people I live and work alongside.”
Rotobec is a multinational manufacturer with facilities in Sainte-Justine, Quebec, Canada, as well as Littleton and Groveton, New Hampshire. The organization is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations in September, a major milestone that coincides with the launch of this new RAP, underscoring Rotobec’s long-term commitment to investing in its workforce and the North Country communities it calls home.
“This partnership is an investment not only in Rotobec’s future, but in the future of our employees and the communities where we operate,” said Melissa Charbonneau, Human Resource & Safety Manager for Rotobec USA.
The RAP also opens the door to future opportunities, including pre-apprenticeship pathways and connections with local Career and Technical Education programs, creating a pipeline for North Country high school students to explore careers in advanced manufacturing close to home.
