Carteret Works

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential.

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction to prepare workers for highly-skilled careers.

Workers benefit from apprenticeships by receiving a skills-based education that prepares them for good-paying jobs. Apprenticeship programs help employers recruit, build, and retain a highly-skilled workforce.

Registered Apprenticeship is a tried-and-true approach for preparing workers for jobs – and meeting the business needs for a highly skilled workforce that continues to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of the 21st century.

• Businesses that use apprenticeships reduce worker turnover by fostering greater employee loyalty, increasing productivity, and improving the bottom line.

• Apprenticeships offer workers a way to start new careers with good wages. Apprenticeship is not just for the private sector – many federal government agencies, including the U.S. military, have apprenticeship programs.

• For employees, a Registered Apprenticeship means the program has met national and independent standards for quality and rigor. It is a proven solution for businesses to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled workers.

• For employers, a Registered Apprenticeship tells prospective employees, customers and suppliers that you invest in your workforce and that you believe your employees are your most important asset! It’s an employer-driven model that combines on-the-job learning with related classroom instruction that increases an apprentice’s skill level.

Types of apprenticeship

There are several types of apprenticeships:

• Pre-Apprenticeship is for high school students who have an interest in the specific field and want to work for the employer full- or part-time. The pre-apprentices are paid and are often offered full apprenticeships upon graduation from high school.
• Registered or full apprenticeships are for students who have selected their career pathway and want to train in all aspects of the occupation as they work full- or part-time. Registered apprenticeships also provide a wage scale that increases based on experience and skills learned.

The word internship is often mistakenly used in place of apprenticeship. They are not the same. Internships are typically short-term offerings that allow students to explore occupations. Employers offering internships often do not have structured training in place or positions to offer interns upon completion of their internship. Interns also do not receive nationally recognized credentials upon completing the internship.

Nationwide, there are apprenticeship programs in more than 1,000 occupations, including jobs in health care, energy, information technology, transportation, and advanced manufacturing, as well as the building trades. Apprentices can be new hires – or current employees. Apprenticeships are a good way to reward high-performing entry-level employees and move them up the career ladder within the business. More than 500,000 apprentices participate in Registered Apprenticeship programs across the country.

Benefits for Business

• Highly-Skilled Employees
• Reduced Turnover Costs
• Higher Productivity
• More Diverse Workforce

Benefits for Workers

• Increased Skills
• National Credential
• Career Advancement

On-the-Job Training

Every program includes structured on-the-job training. Apprentices get hands-on training from an experienced mentor at the job site for typically not less than one year. On-the-job training was developed through mapping the skills and knowledge that the apprentice must learn over the course of the program in order to be fully proficient at the job.

Related Classroom Instruction

Apprentices receive related instruction that complements on-the-job learning. This instruction delivers the technical, workforce, and academic competencies that apply to the job. Carteret Community College collaborated with businesses to develop the curriculum based on the skills and knowledge needed by the apprentice.

National Occupational Credential

Every graduate of a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship program receives a nationally recognized credential from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

• Productive from day one, & more likely to stay on the job.
• Train new workers or upgrade the skills of your current workforce. As employees retire, get promoted, or reassign, you will be creating career paths for the next generation of skilled workers.
• Studies show the average retention for apprentices completing programs is 91%.
• Join companies nationwide that use apprenticeship to develop a highly skilled workforce with increased productivity, higher morale, and lower turnover.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re an employer, department chair, or interested student please send a request for more information to get started.

Addressing the growing demand for skilled workers, Carteret Community College now offers registered Department of Labor (DOL) Apprenticeships in the following areas.

Carteret CC Sponsored Apprenticeships

• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Industrial Manufacturing Technician
• Hospitality

*Note: All health science programs (not listed) are required to participate in clinicals as part of their degree plan.

For questions on any of the above apprenticeships, please contact the department chair.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re an employer, department chair, or interested student please send a request for more information to get started.