More than 30 students across North Carolina took new steps in their future careers by formally joining Registered Apprenticeships this week.
In an apprenticeship, participants prepare for an industry through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Apprentices earn progressively higher wages as they move through the programs. The Apprenticeship & Training Bureau works with companies across the state to set up programs in which they can train apprentices according to their needs.
On Wednesday and Thursday, high school students formally signed their apprenticeship contracts with companies associated with the Apprenticeship 2000, Apprenticeship Catawba, and the N.C. Triangle Apprenticeship Program.
“This is an important part of our North Carolina Jobs Plan by ensuring we develop a competitive workforce with the knowledge and skills needed in today’s business climate,” said Sharon Decker, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “These new apprenticeship students are going to be uniquely qualified for high-quality, sustainable jobs here in North Carolina.”
“Apprenticeships are an increasingly popular means for employers to train qualified workers,” said Will Collins, Executive Director of NCWorks. “We’re confident that these hard-working students will excel in whatever industry they choose.”
Apprenticeship 2000 celebrated the graduation of seven students and the formal membership of 13 new apprentices at Joe Gibbs Racing in Huntersville Thursday evening. Secretary Decker delivered the keynote address to the graduates and Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry attended the event. Established in 1996, Apprenticeship 2000 includes seven business sponsors that work with Central Piedmont Community College to train workers. The participating companies are Ameritech, Blum, Chiron, Daetwyler, Pfaff, Sarstedt, Siemens, and Timken.
Apprenticeship Catawba signed 12 students into apprenticeship programs during a ceremony at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. Apprenticeship Catawba is a partnership between the community college, four local manufacturers, and schools in Catawba and Lincoln counties. The companies are Sarstedt Inc., Technibilt, Tenowo Inc., and ZF Chassis Components.
N.C. TAP signed seven apprentices at the Capital City Club in Raleigh. The organization has seven business sponsors and also works with Wake Technical Community College to train workers. The group’s industry partners are Allied Automation Inc., ATI Industrial Automation, Buhler Aeroglide, Captiveaire, Madern USA, Schunk, and Superior Tooling.
NCWorks
In April, Governor Pat McCrory announced NCWorks, a new partnership between the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Community College System, and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction to improve the state’s workforce system. Through the NCWorks initiative, partners will create a stronger alignment of services and resources to meet the workforce needs of businesses, connect North Carolinians to technical training and quality careers, and use data to monitor and assess program outcomes. For more information about NCWorks, visit www.nccommerce.com/ncworks.
The N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions is a part of the N.C. Department of Commerce. For more information about the division, visit www.nccommerce.com/workforce.