Apprenticeship Program - What is Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship is a partnership between business, industry, labor and government resulting in a skilled trade. Apprentices learn the aspects of a highly skilled occupation through on-the-job training and related instruction, while being sponsored by individual employers. Apprenticeship training requires a wide and diverse range of skills and knowledge, as well as maturity, commitment and independence of judgment.

The apprenticeship agreement combines both the on-the-job experience and classroom related training instruction over two to four years.  A minimum of 144 hours of related training per year is recommended for several trades. In most cases minimum qualifications for an apprenticeship include: a high school diploma or GED, a minimum of a 'C' grade for one year of high school algebra (or equivalent), and applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

The benefits of apprenticeship are many. Here are just a few:

• Paid employment during training with wage increases approximately every six months
• Opportunity to learn skills needed by employers throughout the industry
• A more secure career and the ability to adapt to new job requirements
• The background to become a lead person, foreman, or supervisor