About us / Apprenticeships
Every component has a story. Our apprentices learn the skills that carry it from a mold to a finished, inspected part.
Skills passed from person to person
A finished component is the result of many skilled hands: someone shapes the mold, someone pours the metal, and others machine, finish and inspect the work.
Apprenticeship is a way to learn that craft through practical experience and technical learning. At Danko Arlington, traditional foundry skills sit alongside modern manufacturing and inspection methods.
Our apprenticeship roots reach back to 1940. The next chapter is about the people learning these trades today.
Find the work that interests you
Explore what each trade contributes. You do not need to know your direction before starting a conversation with us.
01 / Shape the casting
Build the sand molds and cores that give a casting its outside shape and internal spaces.
A sound casting starts with a well-prepared mold.
You enjoy practical work, spatial thinking and seeing a design take shape.
02 / Bring metal to life
Learn the controlled preparation and pouring of molten metal, with safe working practices at the center of the work.
Careful metal handling helps establish casting quality from the very beginning.
You want hands-on foundry work that calls for focus, teamwork and consistency.
03 / Refine the part
Learn to remove excess material and prepare castings for the next stage of production.
Thoughtful finishing protects the part while bringing it closer to its intended form.
You like working with tools and seeing a clear, tangible result from your effort.
04 / Develop material properties
Learn how controlled heating and cooling are used to develop the required properties of metal components.
A part’s performance depends on its material condition as well as its shape.
You enjoy following precise processes, monitoring conditions and keeping accurate records.
05 / Build joining skills
Develop the preparation, equipment and technique skills involved in joining metal under defined procedures.
Consistent workmanship and process control matter wherever a welded joint is required.
You enjoy focused hand work and improving a physical skill through practice.
06 / Turn drawings into dimensions
Learn to read drawings, measure parts, set up equipment and work with computer-controlled machining processes.
Machining brings a component to the dimensions and features its application requires.
You like problem-solving, technology and making precise work you can hold.
07 / Check the finished work
Learn to examine aluminum castings, use measurement tools and compare results with specified requirements.
Inspection connects the work on the shop floor with the customer’s acceptance requirements.
You notice details, ask thoughtful questions and take pride in getting things right.
08 / Look beneath the surface
Learn the principles of radiographic inspection and how internal casting features are examined within a controlled inspection process.
Some conditions cannot be seen from the outside of a part.
You are interested in technical equipment, careful interpretation and disciplined safety practices.
09 / Reveal surface indications
Learn how penetrant inspection reveals indications open to a component’s surface, along with preparation and documentation practices.
Small surface indications can be important to a part’s acceptance.
You enjoy methodical work, close observation and following a process carefully.
How learning becomes skill
Build practical experience under qualified supervision, with safe work habits as a foundation.
Technical instruction helps explain the drawings, materials, measurements and processes behind the work.
Progress reviews help identify the skills you have developed and what to work on next.
Start with a conversation
Tell us which trade interests you and a little about your background. We’ll help you understand current opportunities and next steps.