Caplugs Hires Six Employees Through UB EMT Training Program
Caplugs has partnered with the University at Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness (UB TCIE) on its Entry-Level Manufacturing Technician (EMT) training program, which introduces local candidates to manufacturing careers and provides a pathway to full-time employment. Since the start of the program, Caplugs has hired six participants full time.
The EMT program is a collaborative effort with SUNY Alfred State College of Technology and Buffalo-based organization GreenForce that combines classroom instruction with hands-on manufacturing experience. Students in the program undergo 240 hours of classroom training, covering topics such as industrial automation, robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics and workplace safety. Following this initial training, participants move into a paid internship lasting a minimum of 160 hours.
Caplugs, which specializes in the manufacturing of product protection and masking parts, allows interns to spend one week in each of the toolroom, maintenance, injection molding and vinyl dip molding areas, exposing them to a variety of career opportunities and helping them develop skills for advanced manufacturing roles.
Of the four interns Caplugs brought in from the first UB EMT “cohort,” two were hired full time to the maintenance department, including Britany W.
“During my internship, I got hands-on experience from what I learned in EMT training,” Britany said. “Operating machines, taking molds apart, putting them back together, figuring out what’s wrong with the molds and troubleshooting. It really set me up for success in my new role.”
Britany credits the number of departments she was able to work in during her internship. “I got to learn each department, which really helped it all come together,” she added. “Now that I’m in facility maintenance full time, I’m familiar with everything I get to work on.”
The latest cohort in January 2026 saw four additional employees hired to the Caplugs manufacturing team – two in vinyl dip molding, one in mold assembly and another in maintenance.
“It’s been an exciting time at Caplugs with the launch of the EMT program and welcoming six new team members,” said Jennifer Suitor, Director of Human Resources, Industrial Americas at Caplugs. “Seeing these individuals grow from students to skilled professionals has been incredibly rewarding, and we're thrilled to have them as permanent members of our workforce.”
Caplugs plans to continue its partnership with UB and participate in future EMT cohorts as the company continues to grow its advanced manufacturing capabilities while investing in Buffalo's workforce.
For more information about the program, visit the Entry-Level Manufacturing Technician (EMT) training program website.