CoorsTek Expands Innovative Training & Development Program at Arkansas Facility

Benton, AR — CoorsTek announced today it is expanding its innovative onboarding and training initiative, the CoorsTek Academy, to its facility in Benton, Ark. The company will celebrate with employees, elected officials, and partners in education and careers at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, February 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The CoorsTek Academy is a new training program created by the company to accelerate the productivity of new talent, advance technical skill development and build an environment of continuous learning and growth.

The Academy focuses on the development of advanced technical skills for new and current CoorsTek employees by leveraging partnerships with technical schools and local governments to create cutting-edge curriculum and build the technical skill sets needed by operations team members. The Academy provides new employees with an immersive 1-week cultural onboarding experience with job shadowing, mentorship, skill development and career pathing when they join the company.

The CoorsTek Academy launched last year at the company’s corporate headquarters in Golden, Colo. to help manage the extensive hiring and training needs during last year's tight labor market and business ramp. The pilot program was such a success that CoorsTek launched a smaller version of the program in Grand Junction, Colo and has plans to expand to other growth facilities around the globe including Benton. 

“Our mission for CoorsTek Academy is to develop a best-in-class manufacturing workforce by investing in the right tools, training, and development opportunities to grow our people,” said CoorsTek Chief People Officer Irma Lockridge. “We are excited to expand this opportunity to our Benton facility and provide continued growth for our company, our industry, and the local community.” 

In Benton, the grand opening of the CoorsTek Academy marks another milestone for the company's continued dedication to the local manufacturing industry by adding jobs and career path training. In recent years, CoorsTek has added 60 new manufacturing jobs and has made an $80M investment commitment to the facility, including an expansion to its armor and defense production and most recently a state-of the art powder production facility that broke ground in the spring.

Employees who participate in the Academy receive world-class instruction from dedicated trainers and mentors familiar with the world of technical ceramics manufacturing. Participants are exposed to a variety of technical career paths within the company, with an overall intent to drive engaging career development and help build skill sets relevant to the future of the company.

“We are giving people the opportunity to see the big picture of the company, a lot of the technology that goes into our process from start to finish, the supply chain, and how the products are making people’s lives better. They realize they are part of something bigger,” said Aaron Erkman, a technical trainer in the Benton CoorsTek facility.

About CoorsTek
Founded in 1910, CoorsTek is a leading global manufacturer of technical ceramics. By leveraging expertise in engineering and materials science, CoorsTek provides solutions to complex technical challenges in the semiconductor, medical, automotive, aerospace, and other industries. With over 400 proprietary formulations, vertically integrated systems, and unparalleled process capabilities, CoorsTek partners with its customers to make the world measurably better.

Media Contact
Alison Romer 
Communications, CoorsTek
+1 312.771.7259
aromer@coorstek.com