OTAN News

Learning More About Apprenticeships

Image External Link Icon opens in new window or tab by Brian Odwar External Link Icon opens in new window or tab from Pixabay External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

Last week was the 6th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week, a nationwide celebration that gives businesses, communities, and educators the opportunity to showcase their apprenticeship programs and apprentices while providing valuable information to career seekers. Even though the week has come and gone, adult education agencies need to continually educate community members and stakeholders about apprenticeship programs that are offered and help communities understand the power of apprenticeships as a pathway to training, certification, and employment for adults.

Apprenticeships are an important component of WIOA, but many adult educators are not familiar with this valuable option for our students. National Apprenticeship Week (and beyond) is a great opportunity to learn more about apprenticeships so we can provide adult education students with information about pursuing this option as a means to bettering their lives.

• The apprenticeship.gov External Link Icon opens in new window or tab website is maintained by the US Department of Labor, and it is a good starting point for a wide range of information about apprenticeships. There is an Apprenticeship Finder External Link Icon opens in new window or tab for job seekers, Resources that include what apprenticeships look like in different industries External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and information about apprenticeships for Educators External Link Icon opens in new window or tab and Employers External Link Icon opens in new window or tab (as well as information about how schools and businesses can partner to create apprenticeship programs).

• Visit the California Apprenticeship Week External Link Icon opens in new window or tab page for some apprenticeship resources from around the state.

• The California Adult Education Program website External Link Icon opens in new window or tab has a section on apprenticeships. There are links to the California Apprenticeship Initiative Hub External Link Icon opens in new window or tab and the Division of Apprenticeship Standards website External Link Icon opens in new window or tab maintained by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations.

• Learn about pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs in your consortium. Here are some examples from the State Center Adult Education Consortium External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Contra Costa County Adult Education Consortium External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Inland Adult Education Consortium External Link Icon opens in new window or tab.

Now is the time to learn more apprenticeships for ourselves and the benefit of our students!

Article: Apprenticeship Is Back—And It's About Time External Link Icon opens in new window or tab from Forbes
Article: Back to virtual apprenticeships? External Link Icon opens in new window or tab from The Hill External Link Icon opens in new window or tab