Registered Apprenticeships

Graduating high school is a major accomplishment that also marks the start of your adult life. Many exciting opportunities lie ahead. As your senior year races by, along with homecoming, prom and the thrill of graduation, important decisions that affect your future may, at times, be overwhelming. Don’t let them. The best way to make these decisions and start the journey toward finding a career that fits your interests and abilities is to learn as much as possible about all of your options. You may want to go to college, but the cost is a challenge. Or maybe you have second thoughts and are not sure you’re ready. Yet the thought of taking a low-wage job with no future that pays minimum wage is hardly appealing. There is another option, which you may not have heard about:

Registered Apprenticeships

Registered Apprenticeship offers a great opportunity for young women and men to learn a skill, establish a relationship with a top-notch employer, discover the countless opportunities available to excel in an industry that interests you, and begin to build the confidence and work experience you need to reach the job of your dreams. All this can be done while earning a good paycheck with guaranteed raises as your skill level increases.

As an apprentice, you get to take advantage of career preparation that includes on-the-job experience and related technical classroom instruction. Many of these apprenticeships are combined with an Associate’s degree, because today’s jobs require highly skilled workers. Registered Apprenticeship offers a flexible training strategy, often with programs designed to allow you to move at your own pace as you learn the skills needed to excel in your chosen field.

If you want to become an electrician, a chef, a retail manager, an operating engineer, a home health or childcare specialist, a carpenter, dental assistant, a painter, or a corrections officer, Registered Apprenticeship has a program for you. In fact, there are more than 1,000 different career opportunities and 29,000 programs available nationwide.

You can also explore emerging industries such as biotechnology or geospatial technologies and be among the first generation of workers driving innovation and creativity in these and other exciting fields. Computer Programmer? There is a Registered Apprenticeship program. Graphic Designer? You guessed it; Registered Apprenticeship has it. Firefighters, seafarers, machinists, jewelers, tool and die makers, surgical technologists; all these occupations have apprenticeship programs that can prepare and launch you in the field of your choice. They offer an entry-level position with the opportunity to learn, earn and move up a career ladder.

With hands-on training, and the potential to earn college credit, it’s a great option that leads to long-term career opportunities. And, upon completing an apprenticeship program, apprentices earn a nationally recognized industry certification.

College is an important step for high school graduates, but the cost of tuition and the likelihood of debt before even starting a career may be a serious cause for concern. Did you know that Registered Apprenticeship works directly with many two- and four-year colleges and universities to provide the technical classroom instruction that many employers demand from today’s competitive workforce? And many employers will help pay the cost of tuition, books, and other materials.

Working with your parents and guidance counselors, you can identify industries and occupations that interest you and take advantage of the benefits of having an industry expert or mentor help train and prepare you to be an expert, too. There are apprenticeship offices in all 50 states, making it simple to learn about the programs available in your area. Upon enrollment, you will receive training and have the advantage of working closely with a mentor, who will guide you through each phase of your apprenticeship and teach you the necessary skills, safety requirements, and important tricks of the trade. As your skill level rises, so will your wages. Also, as your skill level increases, you may be able to earn interim credentials that chart your progress and help advance your career as you work towards completion of a program, anywhere from one to five years. All the while, you’ll be making good money and developing strong work habits and skills. Once you have completed an apprenticeship, your pay will rival that of college graduates and even those with advanced degrees. The average salary for a worker who has completed a Registered Apprenticeship program is $45,000 a year, with some earning as much as $65,000 and more. With many apprenticeships leading to a two- or four-year degree, that degree, along with the hands-on experience you will obtain, will make your employer stand up and notice that you have taken the initiative to meet and exceed the requirements needed to compete for good jobs at great pay.

This is an exciting time in your life. Enjoy it, and prepare yourself to be a successful member of the workforce through the proven talent development strategies Registered Apprenticeship provides.

Editorial is provided by John V. Ladd, Administrator for the National Office of Apprenticeship.