NAW '23 is in Full Swing!
Did you know that 2023 marks the 9th Annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW)? It's a nationwide celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor, where we all come together to highlight the incredible successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship! 👷♀️👨🏭
This year's theme is "Registered Apprenticeship: Superhighway to Good Jobs", reflecting the significant impact it has in re-building our economy, promoting racial and gender equity, and creating pathways to quality jobs!
Apprenticeships are a key strategy in addressing workforce shortages in crucial sectors like teaching, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, cybersecurity, and more! Let's celebrate the power of apprenticeships in improving job quality and creating access to well-paying jobs for everyone.
Let's use this week to not only share success stories, but by supporting the efforts of those who push to equip themselves with new skills through the apprenticeship programs.
Click the link below to learn more about what National Apprenticeship Week is all about!
A Few Facts about Apprenticeship
Without a doubt, the apprenticeship programs across the nation have impacted many lives, but does that mean it's all the same? Absolutely not! Every year there's new improvement to how companies implement their values into the programs, so there's usually feats accomplished on both sides due to the constant growth!
Here are some fun facts that support that claim:
The median estimate of the employer’s return on investment in Registered Apprenticeship is 44.3 percent.
The average starting wage after completing a Registered Apprenticeship program is $80,000.
About 90% of apprentices retain employment after completing an apprenticeship program.
Workers who complete Registered Apprenticeship programs earn an average of $300,000 more over their career when compared to peers who do not.
Recent evaluations also show that pre-apprenticeship, supportive services, and other strategies are effective in promoting greater equity and inclusion in Registered Apprenticeship.
Jomar Employees join the Robotics Apprenticeship Program
Jomar Machining and Fabricating in Middlebury, Indiana, developed a Robotics Apprenticeship Program through the Department of Labor. In 2021, they selected and onboarded two employees, Orvan and Lyndon Schlabach. During this time, the two gentlemen underwent two styles of education – On the Job Learning, and Related Training Instruction. Purdue Polytech, South Bend, Indiana, was selected as the related training instruction provider. One of their initial hurdles was transportation as both Orvan and Lyndon belong to the Amish Community and would not have a way to attend classes at Purdue Polytech. Purdue arranged for an instructor to drive to them and conduct the classes at Jomar Machining and Fabricating.
Throughout the program, the Schlabach brothers were excited and had shown great interest in everything presented to them! Even though they were ecstatic about the program, there was one things they struggled with. The instructor noticed they were struggling with a programming class, so he decided to take them out into the plant and walk them through programming a robot, step by step… and the lights came on! Not only could they program the robot they learned on, but could program every robot in at the company.
During a follow-up visit by WorkOne to see how thing were going, the intermediary asked if they would like to visit the Purdue Polytech lab. They were every excited to be able to visit the lab. Transportation was arranged and a 1–2-hour scheduled tour turned into a 4-hour tour as they explored and played with each machine's functions, and tested theories.
Today, after completing the two-year apprenticeship program, Orvan and Lyndon Schlabach, have their Robotics Certification from the United States Department of Labor.
What a wonderful accomplishment for these two men!
