"Earn While You Learn” National Apprenticeship Week 2016

November 14-20, 2016

When you hear the word “apprenticeship” you might think of a young boy training to be a blacksmith in the 1800s. In fact, you probably wouldn’t consider an apprenticeship a viable work option in 2016. However, now more than ever, job seekers are taking advantage of apprenticeships as an earn-as-you learn alternative to post-secondary education. While this kind of on-the-job training has come a long way since the 1800s, the practice tends to follow the same system of learning that helps a novice worker evolve into a certified employee or journeyman. 

The Department of Economic Security (DES) Apprenticeship Office creates, develops and monitors registered apprenticeship programs in Arizona. The program is an ideal opportunity for employees who have limited work experience, or who are transitioning to a new vocation and want to earn a steady income while they learn a sustainable trade. These working opportunities combine at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job-training with a minimum of 144 hours of classroom instruction. 

“After completing an apprenticeship program, the worker will achieve “journey-level” status that will give him or her a nationally-recognized certification in that profession,” explains Arizona Apprenticeship Program Training Representative, Adam Hartle.

The benefits to employers are many: highly skilled employees, reduced turnover rates, and higher productivity, to name a few. Nationally recognized and portable credentials, higher wages as skills increase, and career advancement are some of the advantages for these workers.

Currently, there are more than 2,900 apprentices working out of the 130 companies offering apprenticeships throughout Arizona. The Arizona Apprenticeship Program is quickly growing with plans to exceed 5,000 apprenticeship opportunities in 2017.  The Department of Labor reports apprenticeships are on the rise nationally, with more than a half million currently working in the United States while they learn a trade. 

For more information about the Arizona Apprenticeship Program, contact Willie Higgins, Arizona Apprenticeship Program Lead Coordinator at (602) 542-5641 or [email protected], or Adam Hartle, Apprenticeship Training Representative at (602) 364-0976 or [email protected]. 

By Jillian Seamans