
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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Discover how on-the-job training in a non-traditional apprenticeship can help your business develop and maintain new talent! Join us for a dynamic one-day conference to connect with experts and gain resources to help you build your talent pipeline, and be the first to know about a new innovative community college recruiting tool that perfectly matches the verifiable skills of students to your specific job openings.
When: Friday, February 7, 2025, from 9:30 - 2:00 PM
Where: Lake Forest Community Center. 100 Civic Center Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Cost: $25. Breakfast and lunch are provided.
Who should attend: Employers and industry professionals who want to learn more about apprenticeship.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Miriam Farnbauer, Project Director, DIAG USA, mfarnbauer@diagusa.org
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Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Talent Development and Retention Director, Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium, jcaffery@saddleback.edu
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Oakley Boren, Director of Marketing, EXP, oakley@expfuture.org
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kevin J. Fleming
Dr. Kevin J Fleming is an educator, speaker, producer of multiple viral animation videos, including Success in the New Economy, and author of the bestseller, “(Re)Defining the Goal.” Dissatisfied with the status quo, he has dedicated over two decades to advancing career education forward as both a faculty member and administrator. Dr. Fleming serves as the Founder and CEO of Catapult, which delivers hybrid-flexible masterclasses to educators that truly advance and transform our schools and colleges forward faster. Dr. Fleming is a passionate advocate, ensuring all students intentionally equip their potential, enter the labor market with a competitive advantage, and find their purpose on purpose.
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Guest Speaker: Andrea Harlin, Strategic Business Advisor, Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Apprenticeship Workforce Innovation Unit, California Department of Industrial Relations
Andrea Harlin is a Strategic Business Advisor for the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), Apprenticeship and Workforce Innovation (AWI) Unit. In this role, she assists employers in developing and registering apprenticeship programs with DAS as part of California’s statewide effort to provide viable career pathways, education, and opportunities to Californians while addressing skilled workforce needs in a variety of sectors from advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, transportation, agriculture, education, public/civil service and more.
AGENDA
Subject to change
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM: Networking breakfast
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM: Opening remarks
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Gregg D. Ander, FAIA, Managing Director, Gregg D. Ander, LLC.
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Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium
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Miriam Farnbauer, Project Director, DIAG USA
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM: Non-Traditional Apprenticeship 101
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Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium
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Miriam Farnbauer, Project Director, DIAG USA
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Opening Presentation
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Andrea Harlin, Strategic Business Advisor, Division of Apprenticeship Standards - Apprenticeship Workforce Innovation Unit, California Department of Industrial Relations
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM: Break
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM: Keynote
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Kevin Fleming, Ph.D., CEO, Catapult
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM: Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Panel discussion
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Vincent Beller, Manager, Operations Technical Training Programs, B. Braun Medical Inc.
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Tessa Brieger, Apprentice, Parker Aerospace
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Karen Caswelch, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, Archytas Automation
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Jessie Cheng, Program Coordinator, Economic and Workforce Development Office, Saddleback College
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Kevin Mendez, Group HR Specialist Early-in-Career Programs, Parker Aerospace
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Kyle St. John, Executive Chef, The Ranch at Laguna Beach
1:00 PM - 1:20 PM: SCALE Program Announcement
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Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium
1:20 PM - 1:40 PM: Call to Action
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Kevin Fleming, Ph.D., CEO, Catapult
1:40 PM - 2:00 PM: Q&A and Closing Remarks
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Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium
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Miriam Farnbauer, Project Director, DIAG USA
SPEAKERS

Gregg D. Ander, FAIA, Managing Director, Gregg D. Ander, LLC.
Gregg D. Ander is the Managing Director of Gregg D. Ander, LLC providing consultative services on a variety of workforce, power and energy sector issues. He has worked closely with the California Community College Chancellors Office (CCCCO) statewide ECU Directors and Executive Vice Chancellor on policy, strategy and tactical issues to align the college system with CA policies, legislation, and regulations. He was a Senior Fellow at Navigant Consulting (DBA Guidehouse Consulting) for seven years and was the Vice President of Power Strategies at the Energy Foundation in San Francisco, where he oversaw a portfolio of investments including generation, distributed energy resources, efficiency, and cross cutting (grid integration, finance, data, pricing, business models). Previously, he held numerous senior management positions during his 30-year career at Edison, International, worked at the California Energy Commission, and was in private practice in Wisconsin and Arizona. Mr. Ander was the Executive Producer of seven environmentally focused television programs for NBC, CBS, and PBS. One program, “Greener Buildings/Bluer Skies,” won an Emmy award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Ander has served on the numerous Board of Directors including the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC) and the New Buildings Institute (NBI), and others. He has authored over 70 articles and has won awards for various efforts from the U.S. Department of Energy; American Institute of Architects; American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers; and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was elevated to “Fellow” by the American Institute of Architects for his body of work and accomplishments.

Dr. Jon Caffery Ed.D., Talent Development and Retention Director, Regional Director of Employer Engagement, Orange County Regional Consortium
Dr. Jon Michael Caffery's life is a tapestry of service, entrepreneurship, and impactful leadership across diverse sectors. Born in 1959, his journey began with distinguished military service in the U.S. Navy, instilling discipline and work ethic.
Transitioning to entrepreneurship, he led successful ventures in the construction and mortgage industries, recognized for managing multimillion-dollar monthly operations. A pivotal shift towards civic service saw him as the Chairman of the Palm Springs Planning Commission for over a decade. Dr. Caffery's commitment to community development was evident in his role as President/Owner of First Priority Mortgage, Inc., steering the company to unprecedented success. Embracing education as a transformative force, he pursued a Doctor of Education, becoming a trailblazer in academia and workforce development. His roles as Regional Director at Saddleback College and Deputy Sector Navigator at the College of the Desert showcase a commitment to aligning education with industry needs. As a Grants Coordinator, Dr. Caffery implemented federal and state-funded initiatives, contributing significantly to economic development. His leadership extended to community engagement, serving as President of the Palm Springs Economic Development Corporation and Director of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce.
With an extensive educational background, including a Master's in Adult Education, Dr. Caffery embodies lifelong learning. Personal accolades, including recognition for top-producing businesses and community leadership, underscore his impact. In essence, Dr. Jon Michael Caffery's life narrative is one of service, entrepreneurship, and education, leaving an indelible mark on business, education, and community development. His legacy is defined by a commitment to excellence, continuous learning, and the positive transformation of the communities he served.

Miriam Farnbauer, Project Director, DIAG USA
Miriam Farnbauer is the program director at DIAG USA, a non-profit foundation dedicated to advancing apprenticeship opportunities in the US. Farnbauer's focus of work is the “Skills Initiative”, an effort that promotes apprenticeship training based on the German Dual Education System in the US. Farnbauer leads a number of initiatives to enable dialogue and cooperation on a local and regional level as well as fostering the transatlantic dialogue between the US and Germany on workforce development issues. She is the leading force to bring stakeholders at a local, regional and national level together to create a sustainable pipeline of talent and solutions. Miriam Farnbauer has been appointed a member of the Information Technology subcommittee of the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships of the state of California since 2018 to provide guidance and expertise on apprenticeship matters. She has been involved in numerous workforce related studies and has been quoted in Forbes magazine.
Farnbauer graduated from the NextGen Leadership Program (cohort 2020-22) of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany in 2022. She currently serves as a steering committee member at AmCham Germany and is a participant of the 2024 Global Female Leadership Summit. Farnbauer holds a master’s degree in Education and Intercultural Communication from the University of Augsburg, Germany and Swansea University, UK
PANELISTS

Vincent Beller, Manager, Operations Technical Training Programs, B. Braun Medical Inc.
Vincent Beller possesses an A. S. in Specialized Electronics Technology from Lincoln Technical Institute and a B. S. in Computer Science from DeSales University. Beller worked in the Automotive, Semiconductor, Food and Beverage, Retail, and Life Sciences Industries accounting for over 35 years of experience and countless certifications. His career has brought him from Maintenance Technician through Manufacturing and Controls Engineering to Operations Training and currently, Corporate Operations Technical Training Program Management. In his current role as a Corporate Operations Technical Training Manager, I work across the company sites across the US developing and partnering with various entities to form apprenticeships and programs to achieve Technical Skills Training Excellence for Industry and partners across the United States.

Tessa Brieger, Apprentice, Parker Aerospace
Tessa Brieger is an apprentice at Parker Aerospace, where she has gained valuable hands-on experience in the manufacturing process while expanding her technical and professional skills. Currently completing her studies at Cypress College, she is in the process of transferring to continue pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Tessa is excited to share her journey and the impact of this apprenticeship program on her career development.

Karen Caswelch, CEO, bridgED manufacturing and Chief Operating Officer and co-Founder, Archytas Automation
Karen Caswelch is a global award winning CEO of bridgED manufacturing and COO of Archytas Automation. bridgED manufacturing is bringing advanced manufacturing education to high school students through a hands-on micro factory experience. Previously, Caswelch was CEO or COO at various startups after leaving a successful automotive career at General Motors in operations where she improved incoming supplier quality by 97% at Allison Transmission and was a part of the leadership team that sold Allison to private equity for over $5.5B. She successfully raised over $800K in seed funding, graduated from the inaugural Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator cohort and finalized contracts with multiple $100B+ Enterprises. While at Full Spectrum Laser, she led the company through 46% revenue growth while decreasing personnel turnover by 50%. Caswelch has an MBA from Harvard and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. She served on the Indianapolis Airport Authority Board and is the independent board member for CanvasGFX and is a member of the Orange County Workforce Development Board.

Jessie Cheng, Program Coordinator, Economic and Workforce Development Office, Saddleback College
Jessie Cheng is the Program Coordinator at the Economic and Workforce
Development Office at Saddleback College, where she oversees workforce
development programs, including the ETP Cal-E-Force system, while ensuring
compliance with state guidelines. With over five years of experience in strategic
planning, market analysis, and project management, Jessie has contributed to initiatives
such as the OCTA Bus Academy, Cox Communications Customer Service and Sales
Training Program, and customized training programs for clients including Masimo and
Advantech. She focuses on data-driven decision-making, continuous follow-ups, and
multi-channel marketing to enhance program engagement and client retention. Jessie
holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, certifications in Medical Office
Management and Healthcare Information Systems, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of
Management degree. Committed to supporting organizations' growth through workforce
development and continuous improvement, Jessie enjoys spending her free time
cycling, skiing, camping, white-water kayaking, and scuba diving, embracing the thrill of
outdoor adventures and staying active.

Kyle St. John, Executive Chef, The Ranch at Laguna Beach
Kyle St. John is the Executive Chef of The Ranch at Laguna Beach. Kyle joined The Ranch in 2016 bringing his passion of farm-to-table cooking and fresh, locally-sourced cuisine. Kyle’s love for food started in the kitchen with his family’s cooking and Grandma’s recipes, which led him into the culinary world working in restaurants while attending school. After graduating from California State University Long Beach, Kyle pursued a career in the culinary arts where he worked with the opening team at Selanne’s Steak House in 2013 for Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne. Kyle then moved onto the private world of Club Corp where he became Sous Chef at The Center Club of Orange County. He is a fan of using local, seasonal ingredients and supporting the farmers and fisherman in Southern California. Kyle enjoys spending time in Montana where he was born, visiting his family’s farm, fly fishing and camping. He currently lives in Laguna Beach with his wife Laura.

Kevin Mendez, Group HR Specialist Early-in-Career Programs, Parker Aerospace
Kevin Mendez is part of Parker Aerospace’s Group Division HR team supporting and leading early-career programs within Parker Hannifin Corporation. He serves as an ambassador in fostering partnerships with local colleges, universities and organizations in Orange County to ultimately connect top talent with innovative career opportunities. Most recently, Parker Aerospace has launched an apprenticeship program within various manufacturing sites in Irvine, CA.