WSRCA, Partners Celebrate Apprenticeship Week; Empower Employers to Gain a Powerful Competitive Edge
The Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) Team is proud to join with its partners at the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), to help celebrate Apprenticeship Week 20201 from November 15-21.
Apprenticeships are an employer-driven model that combines on-the-job learning with related classroom instruction that increases an apprentice’s skill level and wages.
They provide a flexible training strategy that can be customized to meet the needs of every business It can be integrated into current training and human resource development strategies.
It’s an “Earn & Learn” Model. Apprentices receive a paycheck from day one, so they earn wages while they learn on the job.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation recognizing this week as Texas Apprenticeship Week, to highlight the importance of apprenticeship programs as part of the cutting edge of workforce development in Texas.
From cybersecurity and electrical work to professional brewers and more, the governor shared that Registered Apprenticeship not only offers Texans the opportunity for career advancement but creates a skilled pipeline of talent from which employers in all industries can hire across the state.
“TWC’s apprenticeship training programs help job seekers learn key trades and gain industry certifications while providing employers access to a highly trained workforce with the specialized skills their businesses need to thrive,” said TWC Chairman Bryan Daniel in a news release. “Apprenticeship programs are an important tool TWC is using to close the middle skills gap in Texas. I want to applaud the businesses and workers who have embraced apprenticeships in the Lone Star State.”
Occurring simultaneously, National and Texas Apprenticeship Week highlight the importance of apprenticeships in developing the workforce of tomorrow, giving Texas businesses and our workforce a competitive advantage in the global economy.
“Apprenticeships allow workers to rapidly develop valuable skills and experience. Rather than going into debt for training, they can earn while they learn and prepare for not just a job, but a career,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez. “Apprenticeships are a critical piece of building a thriving workforce and offer many Texans a path toward upward mobility here in the Lone Star State.”
“Apprenticeships can be a valuable tool for employers who need skilled and dependable workers, especially in high-skill and high-growth industries,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Aaron Demerson. “Texas Apprenticeship Week honors those businesses which have embraced the model and contribute every day to our successful Texas economy.”
WSRCA encourages employers to contact our Business Services Team at businessservices@ruralcapital.net to discover how Apprenticeship can empower your business to build a skilled workforce pipeline.
There are currently 602 Registered Apprenticeship programs in Texas with 21,893 active participants, according to DOL. These programs help workers learn a skilled occupation through paid on-the-job training under the supervision of a journey-level professional combined with related classroom instruction.
Review the WSRCA Upskilling Toolkit to see how you can start your own apprenticeship model to match your business needs.
