Plastic packaging maker Alpla Group will spend millions of dollars to build a training and development center in Iowa.
The facility in Iowa City, officially known as the Learning & Development Hub, is scheduled to be finished next year with an estimated cost of $10 million to $15 million.
The 35,000-square-foot location will be home to training and development offerings, including the company's apprenticeship program, Alpla said.
"Iowa City stood out as a strategic location for our new Learning & Development Hub due its close proximity to our plants using key technologies," said Alpla Human Resources Director Mirna Morcos said in a statement.
"This new facility will not only train apprentices at the ground level but also support a robust pipeline of skilled workers at every level to drive the future of manufacturing. We're eager to create a lasting impact by playing a vital role in upskilling and reskilling the future workforce of our country," Morcos said.
Alpla also pointed to its strong partnership with Kirkwood Community College in nearby Cedar Rapids as a reason to locate the learning center in Iowa.
The company's North America apprenticeship program started last summer through a partnership with Kirkwood and the Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT). The program, Alpla said, "provides a paid educational and professional journey for 12 apprentices."
The program allows participants to gain an understanding of Alpla's business and career opportunities while providing participants with new skills.
The three-year apprenticeship provides a salary, a free associate of applied science degree from Kirkwood and certification through ICATT, Alpla said, as well as "a stable career path in a growing company and industry." Participants receive training in a discipline known as mechatronics, which includes mechanical, electrical and computer engineering.
Alpla indicated the new hub will be designed to allow for expansion of another three floors in the future. The facility will feature Alpla technology, machines and equipment and have both electrical and a mold workshops, the company said.
Alpla is a plastics blow molder and recycler based in Hard, Austria. The company has grown to 196 locations in 47 countries with about 23,300 employees. Operations in North America are headquartered in McDonough, Ga.