Apprenticeship Programs and CTE: An Untapped Opportunity

From December 2009 archived blog

From by Jerry Wircenski

What is a Registered Apprenticeship Program?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (November, 2009), Registered apprenticeship programs meet the skilled workforce needs of American industry and have trained millions of qualified individuals for lifelong careers since 1937.  Registered apprenticeship programs utilize structured classroom and laboratory learning experiences in conjunction with on-the-job training.  These programs encompass over a thousand career areas.  Some of the more common or popular areas include carpenter, chef, construction laborer, electrician, truck driver, pipefitter, ironworker, machinist and many other areas included under the CTE umbrella.

Opportunities for CTE

In order to create apprenticeship opportunities for CTE students, CTE administrators and instructors should become familiar with apprenticeship programs available in their geographic areas.  Under the typical union structure, the best person to contact would be the Apprenticeship Coordinator.  The Apprenticeship Coordinator, in conjunction with the Joint Apprenticeship Committee (consisting of representatives from both the union and management), establishes the overall structure of the apprenticeship program.  These programs are typically anywhere from three to five years in length which includes both classroom and laboratory instruction as well as on-the-job training experiences.  It is a basic requirement that all apprentices join the union and pay monthly dues.  The apprenticeship programs are generally delivered through evening courses, weekend classes or full time daytime block training.

The CTE administrator or instructor needs to arrange for a meeting with the Apprenticeship Coordinator to explain the nature of the CTE program and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills contained in the CTE course(s) to determine whether credit for completion of the coherent sequence of courses can be granted towards the core curriculum in the apprenticeship program.  For example, a student who completes a two course sequence in welding and metal fabrication in the Manufacturing Cluster may qualify for credit toward welding, blueprint reading and construction mathematics in a three year ironworker apprenticeship program.