Tag Archives: National Apprenticeship Week

Idaho apprentices enrolled in registered training see 52.7% gain in 2022

Photo of dental assistant with womanNon-traditional apprenticeships can increase talent employee pool

More Idaho workers have enrolled in apprenticeships this year than ever before, broadening the potential for state workforce gains in a tight labor market.

A total of 1,179 new apprentices enrolled in an apprenticeship in 2022, with 81 new apprenticeship programs registered throughout Idaho. Enrollments are up 52.7% from 772 in 2021, and the number of completed apprenticeships has more than doubled. Continue reading

OPINION: Registered Apprenticeships benefit Idaho’s people, economy

Thursday, November 10, 2022

By Jani Revier, director of Idaho Department of Labor

Nov. 14-20 is National Apprenticeship Week and marks the Photo of Jani Revier, Idaho Department of Labor directorcelebration of a proven and time-honored career pathway. Right now, 236 Idaho businesses sponsor apprenticeships, with more than 1,800 participating Idahoans getting paid on the job.

Like many Americans, Idahoans have seen sharp increases in housing costs while the consumer price index has risen 8.2% in just one year. Facing these circumstances, Idaho’s workforce needs competitive job opportunities now more than ever, and the state’s employers need the labor. Continue reading

National Apprenticeship Week Nov. 15-21, 2021 logo

Governor Little Proclaims Apprenticeship Month 2021

On Nov. 15, 2021, Idaho Gov. Brad Little held a press conference at the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County in Garden City to sign a proclamation declaring November as Idaho Apprenticeship Month, coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week, which is Nov. 15-21. Read the proclamation here.

Photo-Gov. Brad Little

Gov. Brad Little signs the proclamation designating Nov. 15-18 National Apprenticeship Week in Idaho.

Additionally, the mayors of Caldwell, Idaho Falls, Nampa, Meridian and Pocatello have proclaimed Nov. 15-21 as Apprenticeship Week in their municipalities.

The 7th annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) taking place Nov. 15 – 21, 2021, is a nationwide celebration where industry, labor, equity, workforce, education and government leaders host events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship for re-building our economy and supporting underserved communities. NAW is an opportunity to highlight how Registered Apprenticeship, a proven and industry-driven training model, provides a critical talent pipeline that can help address some of our nation’s pressing workforce challenges such as responding to critical supply chain demands and supporting a clean energy workforce, modernizing our cybersecurity response, addressing public health issues and rebuilding our country’s infrastructure.

For more information about statewide activities, visit the Apprenticeship.gov website.

To learn more about Registered Apprenticeship in Idaho, visit apprenticeshipidaho.gov

 

OPINION: Apprenticeships help solve Idaho’s labor challenges

Friday November 12, 2021

By Governor Brad Little

The “Now Hiring” and “Help Wanted” job postings are everywhere.

Idaho’s economy is booming, and jobs are readily available, but some employers still cannot fill jobs with the skilled workers they need.

The labor market challenges are multifaceted, but employers across the state have one thing in common – they need a pipeline of workers with industry-specific training and hands-on experience.

The good news is that through apprenticeships – a proven career pathway Idaho is strongly pursuing to build our pool of skilled workers – employers can create a sustainable talent pipeline with employees that receive extensive education and training in one of more than 1,200 occupations in Idaho.

Next week is National Apprenticeship Week. Apprenticeships offer a win-win for employees and employers.

Employees get on-the-job training and classroom instruction specifically designed for the career they choose, along with opportunities to advance. Apprentices learn while they earn a certification, gain practical experience, start working immediately, and receive built-in mentoring and support.

Employers get an immediate employee more likely to stay in the job, reducing turnover costs and improving employee retention and productivity. It is an excellent return on investment.

Idaho jumped on new resources that connect employers to apprentices.

One new program will align apprenticeship with degree programs at Idaho’s postsecondary and workforce training institutions, benefitting up to 2,000 new workers.

Another new program will connect employers with 400 Idaho youth between ages 16 and 24 in high school and career technical education programs.

Through another effort, we are expanding the number of employers enrolling in registered apprenticeships throughout the state in the health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and energy sectors.

We have nearly tripled the number of Idaho businesses sponsoring apprenticeships in the span of three years. Hundreds of Idaho employers have almost doubled the number of apprenticeship opportunities since just last year.

In short, all our efforts have created a pool of Idahoans who want to hone their skills to meet Idaho employers’ needs.

It’s a tight labor market right now. We will continue to do all we can to get more skilled workers into the satisfying, rewarding careers and help employers who, like all of us, want to see Idaho’s economic trajectory continue to strengthen.

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National Apprenticeship Week Set for Nov. 15-21

National Apprenticeship Week Nov. 15-21, 2021 logo

Idaho business and labor leaders, educational institutions, state agencies and workforce centers will spend National Apprenticeship Week 2021 coming up with new strategies and creative ideas for tapping apprenticeships as a way to meet the talent needs of employers.

First observed in November 2015, National Apprenticeship Week celebrates the role of apprenticeship in helping workers earn while they learn and grow the economy.

Nationally, 221,000 people enrolled in one of 26,000 active registered apprenticeship programs in fiscal year 2020. Nearly 3,143 of the active programs were new. The total number of workers enrolled in reached  636,000 with more than 82,000 apprentices graduating from the system.

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Business, Government and Education Work to Increase Idaho Apprenticeships

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 9, 2020
Media Contact: Gina Robison, Gina@Robison@labor.idaho.gov

Nov. 8-14 – National Apprenticeship Week

A team of state agencies is using more than $5.8 million in federal grants to foster growth and expansion of registered apprenticeships as a solution for Idaho businesses struggling to find a skilled workforce.

State agencies involved in the partnership include the Idaho Department of Labor (ApprenticeshipIdaho), the Idaho Workforce Development Council and the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education. Idaho employers are represented by the Idaho Business Education Council.

Registered apprenticeships provide a high-quality career path that allows employers to develop a skilled workforce customized to meet their needs.

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Idaho Apprenticeships Help Meet the Demand for Health Care Workers

Creating career pathways helps the medical industry and the state meet local workforce needs
nurse and two students at table

A Saint Alphonsus nurse explains the proper use of gloves, to Linda Akike, and another student. (Photo courtesy of College of Western Idaho)

Linda Akike came to Boise from the Republic of Congo. She always dreamed of being a nurse, so when she heard she could enroll in a program that may lead to a full-time job at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, she leaped at the chance.

Akike learned about a new pre-apprenticeship program offered by the Idaho Department of Labor and the College of Western Idaho (CWI) through the International Rescue Committee in Boise.  The CWI class offers 80 hours of instruction and training to prepare job seekers for an Environmental Services position in health care, and potentially a full-on career in the future.

The class trains people for environmental service work in a hospital and helps people like Akike, for whom English is a second language, learn English-speaking skills and health care vocabulary terms she’ll need to know.

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CodeWorks Program Prepares Students for Real-World Jobs

Photo courtesy CodeWorks

Just about everyone knows computer code runs the backend of computer systems, web sites, mobile apps and more.

When Ramsey Bland decided to apply for a 13-week immersion class at Boise CodeWorks, the only computer code he knew was the bar code on the side of a pizza box.

Bland, 23, had studied mechanical engineering at Boise State University for several years, but he couldn’t keep up with the cost of going to college full time. His job delivering pizza covered the rent, living expenses and college. It was a stretch.

When he applied for the CodeWorks immersion class, a super-intensive drill where he could learn how to write four computer languages in a little more than three months, he learned how to plan projects and solve complex problems as part of a team.

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Six Reasons to Register Your Idaho Apprenticeship 

USDOL Registered Apprenticeships have an advantage over non-registered programs and benefit job seekers and employers as follows:

  1. National Credential – Registered Apprenticeship graduates receive a national, industry-recognized credential that is portable and stackable.
  2. Quality Standards – Registration means the program meets national and independent standards for quality and rigor. Registration tells prospective employees, customers and suppliers a business invests in its workforce and believes employees are its most important asset.
  3. High Quality and Safe Working Conditions – Emphasis on program safety may reduce worker compensation costs.
  4. Technical Assistance and Support – Businesses that register their apprenticeship programs with USDOL receive access to a nationwide network of expertise, customer service and support at no charge for program sponsors.
  5. Tax Credits – In some states, businesses qualify for state-based tax credits related to apprenticeship programs. Employers may also be able to claim some expenses for training as a federal tax credit.
  6. Federal Resources – Businesses and apprentices can access funding and other resources from many federal programs to help support their Registered Apprenticeship programs, including Pell Grants and the GI Bill.

Contact Bill Kober, (208) 321-2973 or (208) 703-3782 for more information.

– Idaho Department of Labor

Idaho Apprenticeships Increase 67 percent from 2016-18

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 2, 2018
Information Contact: John Russ, (208) 332-3570 ext. 3303 or Georgia Smith, (208) 332-3570 ext. 2102

Idaho Celebrates Apprenticeship Week Nov. 12-18

Idaho apprenticeship programs and apprentices are on the rise across Idaho and the nation. As the number of Idaho businesses sponsoring apprenticeships more than doubled from 2016 to 2018, the number of registered apprentices increased 67 percent.

Idaho Department of Labor Director Melinda Smyser attributes the increase to more Idaho training centers, technical schools, community colleges and institutions delivering industry-specific instruction, technical education and other certified training through Registered Apprenticeships in a variety of ways.

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