Starting in July, Butler County Community College will offer a free manufacturing preapprenticeship certificate program.

To be eligible, students must pass a drug screening and criminal background check, complete a vocational screening assessment and possess a high school diploma or its equivalency.

The students will learn about basic blueprint reading, manufacturing processes and introduction to computer numerical control, among other topics, said Kelly McKissick, coordinator of professional education and certificate programs for BC3’s Workforce Development division.

Completing the program helps students develop skills and earn credentials to enter Butler County’s second-largest industry, McKissick said.

According to the state Department of Labor, the manufacturing industry employed 13.8 percent of Butler County’s workforce as of May, trailing only health care and social assistance, at 15.9 percent.

“There is a great demand for a labor force,” McKissick said. “Having these skills and credentials are definitely an advancement on your resume to obtain a better position or an apprenticeship. Coming in with those skills makes a big difference.”

The program is free to eligible participants as a result of a $147,000 grant BC3 received from the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board and the Department of Labor.

Classes begin July 15 and run through Sept. 5. Scott Covert, training coordinator for Penn United Technologies in Cabot, will instruct the courses on BC3’s main campus.

For more information, contact McKissick at 724-287-8711, Ext. 8171, or email kelly.mckissick@bc3.edu.