Category Archives: Apprenticeship Idaho

Apprenticeship program gives Idahoans skills to pursue new careers

Registered Apprenticeship is a pathway into the workforce where participants can “earn while they learn” and gain a recognized certification in an industry of their choice. This method of transitioning into the workforce has gained popularity and employers are now investing time into the Quality Pre-Apprenticeship program. This program makes it easier for interested Idahoans to gain knowledge and experience before committing to enroll in a Registered Apprenticeship program. Below are a few employers featured who have invested time in the creation of a Quality Pre-Apprenticeship program.

Idaho Rural Water Association (IDRWA)

In December of 2023, IDRWA led the way as the first Quality Pre-Apprenticeship program in Idaho, with the goal to fill jobs in the wastewater treatment industry.

“For the drinking water and wastewater industry — the industry isn’t very attractive on its own. We are already butting against that stereotype. It’s not very well known, and I don’t think young people are aware of it as a career path,” IDRWA Apprenticeship Coordinator Gary Sievers said. “We believe water use is the future, and we wanted to use this program to reach out to young people.”

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Apprenticeship Idaho distributes over 3,000 books to schools across the state

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 18, 2024
Media Contact: Renee.Bade@labor.idaho.gov

Author Elaine Zabriskie with her dog and star of the book, Booper.

Over 3,000 free children’s books about the value of apprenticeships were distributed by the Idaho Department of Labor and Apprenticeship Idaho to elementary school classrooms across the state in September.

Designed for K-5 students, “Booper Dreams Big: An Almost True Story of Apprenticeship” follows the journey of Booper the dog and his apprenticeship as a satellite technician.

Apprenticeship Idaho originally published the book in 2022, becoming one of the first U.S. government agencies to produce a children’s book about apprenticeship. Continue reading →

Free apprenticeship children’s book is available for schools to order

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 8, 2024
Media Contact: Gina.Robison@labor.idaho.gov

The children’s book, “Booper Dreams Big: An Almost True Story of Apprenticeship,” is available for Idaho schools and libraries to order before Aug. 30 at no cost. Booper Dreams Big cover

Kindergarten to fifth grade students will follow Booper the dog as he learns the value of career education through his apprenticeship as a satellite technician.

The book was created on behalf of the Idaho Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Idaho program and comes in both English and bilingual (English-Spanish) versions.

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Returning to the workforce: Apprenticeships help pave the way

The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) “envisions a safer Idaho with fewer people in the correctional system” according to its mission statement.

To help incarcerated people find work, the agency is hosting job fairs for prison residents who will be released in the next six months. The first job fair will take place in July, with more planned for the near future.

Through her work as Apprenticeship Program Coordinator for IDOC, Crystal Robles, sees how incarcerated people want to improve their lives. As a way to encourage this behavior, she decided to coordinate with prison staff to host job fairs.

“I see a lot of people that came into the prison at a very young age. These are individuals that were 19 or 20 and made a bad choice,” Robles said. “Now after 10 or 20 years of being incarcerated, they are being released as a different person with training and education.”

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Idaho launches innovative teacher apprenticeship program to fill job openings

Idaho openings for K-12 teachers remains robust, with over 1,500 unique job postings in 2023, and 2,000 in 2022 according to Lightcast data, and the demand isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon. Employment projections by the Idaho Department of Labor anticipate a continued need, forecasting 1,500 to 1,600 statewide openings annually from 2022 to 2032.

To become a teacher in Idaho, an individual must obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, complete an educator preparation program, complete an unpaid student teaching program and pass a State Board-approved content assessment to receive an endorsement for proper certification.

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Women working in trades and transportation industries are on the rise

More and more Idaho women are achieving financial stability by holding nontraditional roles in male-dominated industries – whether it be in construction, transportation or the general trades.

“Working in transportation helped me find things I love to do,” said Idaho Department of Transportation Training Specialist Lori Copeland. “There is value in discovering how the perspective I bring to my work as a woman is different than most of my male counterparts.”

Construction

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Quarterly Workforce Indicator (Q2 2023), one in five women are construction workers or in Idaho, approximately 20%. The number of women in the industry overall has grown by 8% since 1992.

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Apprenticeship Spotlight: Idaho businesses focus on family with apprenticeship opportunities

Long-term staffing can be challenging for small family-owned Idaho businesses. Finding and hiring talent can also be a costly burden in a tight labor market. A fully trained candidate expects higher wages, and the cost to train a job candidate can be expensive.

Some Idaho businesses are turning to the Idaho Registered Apprenticeship program to train their children and keep the business in the family.

Aspen Air Design – Malad

Aspen Air Design has been in the HVAC business since 2008 and has locations in Idaho (Rexburg and Malad) as well as Utah.

As owner Virginia Edlefsen experienced hiring challenges, she noticed her 16-year-old grandson Leonardo Dirilo took interest in her business and decided to give him some valuable work experience as a Registered Apprentice.

“He’s handy with tools and he’s very mechanically inclined and likes to be working,” she said. “He likes to work, and the labor of it. He’s quite talented at building metal and putting things together. He’s a quick learner.”

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10 Mini-Cassia area students enroll in Machine Operator Registered Apprenticeship program

Machine operator apprenticesIndustry and education leaders came together in Burley on Nov. 14 to celebrate and support 10 new students who signed contracts and enrolled in the Machine Operator School-to-Registered Apprenticeship Program (STRAP). The program began in 2017 and continues to be a great option for high school students interested in careers in the manufacturing industry.

McCain Foods and High Desert Milk, program supporters from the beginning, consistently participate, support and provide opportunities for local students to train for food processing jobs in high demand occupations at their companies.

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Gov. Brad Little proclaims Idaho Apprenticeship Month, highlights Idaho LAUNCH

Gov. Brad Little with an apprentice

Gov. Brad Little has proclaimed the entire month of November as Idaho Apprenticeship Month.

Registered Apprenticeships are a proven pathway for job seekers to join the workforce and receive paid, on-the-job training leading to a recognized certification or credential in a working industry of their interest.

Apprenticeships have a 90% success rate of apprentices remaining as an employee in an industry after completing their program.

“There are multiple pathways to success,” Little said. “We need more young Idahoans to go on to postsecondary education, and we’ve been very intentional about expanding ‘go-on’ to include opportunities outside of the traditional four-year college degree – including apprenticeships.”

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Apprenticeship Spotlight: Idaho Rural Water Association taps apprenticeships to fill retirements

Where does the water from our faucet go? Or maybe the water from the toilet?

Wastewater travels down our pipes to individual water districts across Idaho, where it is treated by Idaho Rural Water Association workers.

Water being tested

As a leader of dedicated employees in wastewater treatment, the organization trains and creates specialists who play a critical role in providing healthy water for our communities.

Job vacancies in the wastewater treatment industry are tough to fill.  Idaho’s retirement rate in this industry is slightly above average compared to the United States, according to Idaho Department of Labor economist Jan Roeser.

In total – 40% over the national average.

But on the other end of the spectrum, there are many people employed as water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Idaho — 1,410 to be exact. Breaking that up geographically, there are about 500 employed operators in rural Idaho.

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