How to start an apprenticeship program

In order to design your own apprenticeship, you‘ll need to build a group of 10 employers. The group should reflect the scope of the industry, and include at least 2 employers with less than 50 employees. When the group has been formed, everyone must play an active role and work together to develop the standard.

Pros of apprenticeships

They’re paid, which means you’ll earn money instead of taking on student debt. They offer hands-on experience in the workplace in addition to classroom learning; the classroom portion may be online or at a local college or trade school, and may count for college credit.

Employers must also pay their apprentice for time spent training or studying for a relevant qualification, whether while at work or at a college or training organisation. Employers must offer apprentices the same conditions as other employees working at similar grades or in similar roles.

When asked what type of work was most difficult to master (out of 32 different trades), the two groups of respondents (the average age of which was 43 years old) were in agreement again — electrical work was the hardest to master, followed by carpentry, HVAC, and cabinets/countertops.