AFL plows ahead with high school workforce program

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Fiber optic cable manufacturer AFL recently welcomed 14 students from Byrnes High School into an ongoing training program for a career on the factory floor.

The class is the fourth to enter the company’s Operational Workforce Program, launched in 2018, which opened hiring opportunities to nine current AFL employees and program graduates. The training program, offered through a partnership with Spartanburg Community College, gives students an introduction to manufacturing and real-life training scenarios, according to a news release.

“Through classroom theory and practical on-the-job scenarios, students gain a better understanding of manufacturing in today’s environment,” Ryan Burns, human resources director for AFL, said in the release. “They are part of the manufacturing experience, gaining insight into operations (production, shipping and receiving, and quality) from beginning to end.”

AFL employs more than 1,000 associates in the Upstate and more than 5,000 at locations worldwide, according to the release.