Registered Apprenticeship
The Other Four Year Degree

With the completion of high school quickly approaching, you will be faced with many important choices. A chapter in your life will be ending, and another will be beginning. One of the most critical decisions at this point in your life will be what you choose to pursue as your career path. The traditional route for many high school graduates is to enroll in a post-secondary educational institution. This may be the most suitable choice for some, but certainly not for all. There are many careers that involve a different training path, and many factors that contribute to choosing your next step after high school graduation. What options are available? One direction that may be of interest to you is Registered Apprenticeship.

Registered Apprenticeship is the premier training model for workforce development. It is a proven method that has been used for centuries throughout the world. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, composed 4000 years ago, stated that artisans had to teach their crafts to youth. Many well-known historical figures were apprentices. Paul Revere came from a long line of apprentices. His father taught him the silversmith craft. Benjamin Franklin was indentured in 1718 as an apprentice. His brother, James, taught him the skill of printing.

Many of the same basic principles that were used years ago are still incorporated into registered apprenticeship programs. Just as in ancient times, today’s apprentice has a chance to learn on the job, alongside an expert who shows by example and guidance the fine points of an occupation. Along with these principles, many new and exciting additions have been developed with the advancement of technology. For instance, many job tasks — as well as methods for teaching them — now involve the use of computers.

So what exactly is Registered Apprenticeship? Registered Apprenticeship is a unique combination of on-the-job training and related technical instruction that correlates with close to 200 different occupations in the state of Ohio. Each apprentice is employed in a regular job, where he or she receives individual training and supervision from an extensively skilled worker in the same occupation. Along with this training, the apprentice obtains academic instruction that is directly related to the occupation being learned. Registered Apprenticeship programs are required to have a minimum of 2000 hours of on-the-job training and 144 hours per year of related technical instruction. The majority of programs require three to four years of training, but the length varies depending on the occupation.

The operator of a Registered Apprenticeship program is known as the sponsor, and is usually either the apprentice’s employer or another organization that coordinates training for several employers. There are over 1000 sponsors in the state of Ohio. The occupations they teach include emerging fields such as advanced manufacturing, health care, energy, and information technology. These are just a few of the numerous areas that have Registered Apprenticeship programs.

Registered apprentices are employees, and they receive wages while they are learning universally transferable skills in high-demand occupations. The phrase "Earn While You Learn” has become a well-recognized motto in the world of Registered Apprenticeship. The typical starting wage for an apprentice is anywhere between 40-50% of the rate for a journey-person (i.e., an experienced worker). The pay increases throughout the apprenticeship program with the successful completion of each scheduled training portion. Apprentices who complete their programs develop skills that allow them to earn a wage comparable to, if not more then, that of a college graduate.

Many program sponsors hold the related technical instruction section of the program at two- and four-year colleges or universities. The partnership between a sponsor and a college often creates an opportunity for the apprentice to receive credits earned towards a college degree. Following the completion of the apprenticeship program, an apprentice receives a certificate that is recognized nationally. The certificate represents the fact that Registered Apprenticeship has equipped this individual with the skills necessary to be a productive and wellpaid member of today’s workforce.

An employer can obtain several advantages from participating in a registered program, including greater employee retention and more skilled/knowledgeable workers. The employer invests time and money in training an apprentice, and it is in their best interest to groom the apprentice as a future leader of the organization. This fact gives an apprentice the opportunity for career advancement as well as job stability. The professional relationships that are formed during training create motivation, pride, and a positive work environment for everyone involved in the program.

When making your career choice, think about what kind of work would be rewarding to you. Take into consideration what fields are in high demand. Set your goals and stay on track in order to accomplish them. If Registered Apprenticeship is something that you would like to explore, keep in mind that this kind of program offers you not only a job, but a career. Serious training is involved that takes discipline and dedication equal to what is required in college. But you can gain enormous advantages and satisfaction from completing an apprenticeship program. You will always keep the skills and knowledge that you achieve, and you will be recognized nationally as a skilled professional in your occupation.

Editorial provided by the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council.