Apprenticeship program gives women opportunities in male-dominated field

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Even in an industry dominated by men, Iliana Cooper of Clover, South Carolina, believes the future’s so bright she’s got to wear protective goggles.

Cooper is an automation engineering apprentice at Groninger USA .

Just a couple of years removed from working at a grocery store, she feels good about where she’s headed at 20.

“It’s very crazy going from retail to now like a career. Like I have a career, which is insane,” Cooper told Queen City News.

Women are still far outnumbered in advanced manufacturing and engineering.

Just 16 percent of engineers are now women, a number that’s increased only 1 percent since 2010. Meanwhile, in manufacturing, women are 30 percent of the workforce.

Since 2015, Groninger USA has taken steps to change that through an apprenticeship program which is a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College.

The company makes filling and closing machines used in a variety of ways.

“Insulin or mascara or eyedrops, whatever it may be, those liquid products had to get into those containers and that’s what we do,” explains Thomas Ray, the apprenticeship lead for Groninger USA.

Participants of the apprenticeship program go to school and earn while they learn on the job.

“So once they complete the program, they graduate and they have a guaranteed job at the end,” said Ray.

“But one thing that drew me to Groninger was the engineering part,” Cooper says. “Because I knew I wanted to go study engineering, but finding out that they offer this apprenticeship for engineering, I was like, ‘This is it!’”

Her interest in building and creating started early. She once teamed up with her dad to create a playhouse for her brother with special needs.

“One of the projects that I built with my dad is what we called the ‘man cave,’ which was like a treehouse in the living room,” she remembers.

Cooper says the apprenticeship program combines school and job in the best way.

“It allows me to focus on my schooling at the same time as also getting a job, which I think is very very hard to come by,” she said.

“Iliana is definitely one of our shining stars,” says Ray.

“I think Iliana had the desire to work with her brains and her hands,” he added.

When she graduated with an associate degree in engineering at CPCC, Groninger co-workers came out to support her.

“Both my mom and dad are from a military background, and then having a special needs brother there were just a lot of sacrifices that were made, and I just have so much appreciation for it,” Cooper reflected.

Traditionally, women have shied away from this career path, but Iliana’s message is that “girl power” can thrive in this business. “Don’t give up!” she says.

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