Future-proofing Your Workforce: Harnessing the Benefits of Registered Apprenticeships

In a rapidly changing job market, it’s challenging to find the right talent and support skills development that evolve with the needs of your business. One solution that has gained traction is Registered Apprenticeships. These programs bring customized, structured, industry-recognized credentials to any company, even ones not traditionally associated with apprenticeships. A Registered Apprenticeship (RA) can be created to meet any job requirements and combines on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. Here are the benefits of leveraging RAs to build a stronger workforce.

What’s In It For Employers?

Apprenticeship programs are tailored to meet specific workforce needs. By collaborating with educational institutions and industry partners, businesses can design a Registered Apprenticeship curricula that aligns with their organizational goals and industry requirements. This customization ensures that apprentices develop the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles, contributing to the company’s growth and competitiveness.

Apprenticeships provide companies with a reliable pipeline of skilled talent. By investing in an RA program, organizations cultivate a pool of workers who learn the precise skills required for their industry. As a result, this can reduce recruitment costs, improve retention rates, and address talent shortages before they disrupt operations. Offering RAs to existing employees as part of a career progression plan can improve the leadership pipeline as well.

What’s In It For Workers?

RAs offer a unique combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training, so apprentices can learn directly in the workplace. Apprentices receive practical, hands-on experience under the guidance of experienced mentors, and they earn income while they learn. By providing compensation during the training period, employees can achieve financial stability while reducing the burden of student loan debt.

This “earn-while-you-learn” approach makes it an effective pathway to a successful career for new employees. It also helps current workers upskill and advance on the job. This opens new avenues for career growth and encourages employees to stay with a company for the long term. RA programs provide a national credential that workers can use throughout their career, even if they move or want to change roles.

Different Types of Registered Apprenticeships

Most RA programs are time-based programs, competency-based programs, or a hybrid of the two. They can be designed to support the right structure for each company’s training goals. There are four typical ways apprenticeships can be structured:

• Direct Entry: – A pre-apprenticeship phase provides offsite classroom education, usually with a local education or industry partner, then the individual starts their on-the-job training.
• Traditional: – Structured education and on-the-job training occur simultaneously for a set amount of time.
• Front-Loaded: – In-house instruction occurs at the start of the apprenticeship, then the employee participates in structured on-the-job training.
• Segmented: – The apprentice alternates between periods of instruction and on-the-job training for a set period.

Apprenticeship Myths & Facts

Many employers believe Registered Apprenticeship programs are only for construction or union-related jobs. This is a popular misconception and is not true. Any skill-based job that requires experiential learning is a great candidate for an RA program. There are more than 1,000 occupations, from health care to information technology to transportation and logistics (and more!) that currently benefit from apprenticeship programs.

Workforce Solutions works with many industries across the Gulf Coast region to build RA programs that are as unique as the companies that participate. To determine if a Registered Apprenticeship program is a fit for your company, please complete the form below and one of our Business Consultants will contact you.