Well for many people looking to find work, the answer may be apprenticeships. With more companies offering apprentice programs, here are a few reasons you should be looking at these programs...
Both companies and job-seekers face a common challenge. While companies struggle to find talent for trade fields, many young people work to obtain training to kick off their career.
With so much shared ground, you’d think a solution would be easy, right? Well for many people looking to find work, the answer may be apprenticeships. With more companies offering apprentice programs, here are a few reasons you should be looking at these programs for training.
Now more than ever, education is expensive. Even if you shell out the money for formal education, there’s still no guarantee of a job upon graduating. For many, apprenticeships are a new way to get an education, while making money, with employment as a clear end goal.
Apprenticeships have the capability, not just to provide an alternative to college but also to address the issues preventing many people from enrolling. Instead of racking up student debt, apprentices earn while they learn, and apprenticeships provide other ways of learning for those who aren’t suited to academia.
Apprenticeships can also open pathways out of entry–level jobs. The education they provide not only gives you the hard skills needed for your job, but also the soft skills that employers require management. While hands-on learning is possible without an apprenticeship, they do provide an excellent pathway for career growth.
For many industries, training and education are the main barriers to entry. While apprentice programs used to be limited to trade fields, many other industries, like computer science, are using them to break down barriers.
Heather Terenzio, CEO of Techtonic, established a tech academy to drive skills training. “Once we take away the barriers to entry–that you don’t need a CS degree, that we’ll pay you a livable wage while you learn–our classes are extremely diverse: 75 percent are women, minorities, and veterans. Just from the nature of taking away those barriers.
And here’s what’s interesting about software development: Once you have your first job, no one cares about your degree. You’re viewed through the lens of your reputation and your experience as a software developer.”
For many other industries, the same fact applies, removing barriers gets more people in the workforce and kickstarts their career. It allows you to show employers what your skills are. Even if you took a different approach to education
Even with the proper skills, or the drive to obtain new ones, it can be hard to know what industries need new people. Apprentice programs act as a guide. When there is a high demand for talent, industries set up apprenticeships as a pipeline to hiring. Following that path can lead you to a high demand industry with room to grow.
Apprenticeship builds employment skills and establishes higher levels of employment and wages. The apprenticeship practice is an “earn-and-learn” model. Many employers today are utilizing this model to attract employees and invest in their development, with the hope of retaining and growing them to be future leaders in their organization.
If your company keeps investing in your skills and your future, why wouldn’t you stay there? Finding these programs can not only drive a new career path, but it can also lead you to a fulfilling career with a company who cares about its employees. What do you have to lose?
If you’re looking for your next position or the beginning of a new career, Reliable Resources can help. Get in touch or look at our current opportunities to kick-start your job search.
