NCC Student Becomes First iTEC Journeyworker for Local Company

When Brauly Castillo, Northampton Community College (NCC) student, graduated from Dieruff High School in 2020, the world felt uncertain. The pandemic had upended plans and made his next steps feel daunting. “I didn’t really know what to do,” he says. But with a push from his cousin, who helped him get his foot in the door through an agency, he found his first role in manufacturing — inspecting molded parts and working in material handling at B. Braun. 

^{Brauly (left) at B. Braun} 

Castillo was fascinated by the machines around him. “I wanted to learn more about the mechanics that created the components I was working on. I always knew I wanted to do something as a craftsman.” 

In 2021, Castillo came across NCC’s industrial maintenance program — a free, 11-week, grant-funded training program that he found online. “I was hesitant at first, but my fiancée persuaded me to try it. I took the entry tests, got in, and it turned out to be the best decision I could have made.” 

Through the program, Castillo not only earned OSHA and industrial maintenance credentials, which counted toward his future college coursework, but he also learned about the iTEC Apprenticeship Consortium, supported in part by B. Braun. The idea was simple but powerful: learn while you earn.  

For Castillo, the work-and-learn structure was ideal. “Three days a week I’d be on the job, and two days I’d be in class at NCC and work late to balance out my time. I really enjoyed being able to take what I learned in class and immediately apply it on the job — whether it was chains and sprockets or troubleshooting issues.” 

Castillo's dedication paid off. Thanks to his on-the-job experience and commitment to learning, he completed the iTEC apprenticeship in just one year, which is half the program’s typical duration. In August 2024, he proudly became B. Braun’s first iTEC Journeyworker, a milestone that meant he could now mentor the next generation of apprentices. 

“Career Day at the end of my initial training was a turning point,” he recalls. “I told the talent acquisition manager at B. Braun that I wanted to grow within the company and get the education I needed to be a craftsperson. They supported me every step of the way.” 

By December, Castillo was officially hired as a craftsperson — the very position he’d once dreamed of. “I tell people all the time, I love my job. I like tinkering, and I like figuring things out every day.” 

Now, Castillo pays it forward by training and mentoring new apprentices. “I want to help people find the same fulfillment out of their jobs that I found." 

It all comes back to a simple but life-changing choice: taking a chance on himself.. Soon, Castillo would like to complete the industrial maintenance millwright program to earn an associate’s degree from NCC.  

“I’m proud to say I built my career step by step, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.”