Area Apprenticeships Help Build Qualified Workforce

As the economy begins to heal from the impact of COVID-19, unemployment rates will continue to decline, and employers facing difficulty in attracting new and diverse talent will find themselves in an even more competitive job market.

A Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) is a proven strategy that helps employers recruit, train, and retain talent. Programs follow a model where apprentices have supervised on-the-job learning opportunities, along with job-related education, while earning a wage that increases during the progression of the program.  

Apprenticeship TN suggests employers should consider developing an apprenticeship program if they have:

• Jobs for which it is difficult to find workers with the right skills?
  • Positions with high turnover?
  • Occupations where a highly skilled workforce is retiring?
  • Challenges helping workers keep pace with continuing advances?
  • Positions requiring skills that can be learned on the job?
  • Difficulty in attracting new and more diverse talent pools?

Apprenticeship TN can serve as an intermediary between Tennessee employers and the U.S Department of Labor, by consulting on the design of an apprenticeship programs, developing the documentation and registration paperwork required by the Labor Department, and providing technical assistance to program sponsors and employers. For more information, contact Tyra Copas at [email protected] or (423) 715-8027.

For Knoxville area employers, Pellissippi State Community College can sponsor apprenticeship programs that allows for companies of all sizes to start their own program for as little as one employee or more 100. Other advantages of partnering with Pelissippi State includes online training, participation in for-credit courses using Tennessee Reconnect and Tennessee Promise, and customized training for employers using Pelissippi State-employed instructors. For more information, contact Todd Evans at [email protected] or (865) 539-7164.

In addition, Roane State Community College can now sponsor apprenticeship programs with area businesses in a growing effort to increase the number of skilled workers. For more information, contact Kim Harris at [email protected] or (865) 882-4695.