Links

• California Apprenticeship Council
• California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
• Employment Development Department
• Federal Employment Training Administration
• State Personnel Board
• Federal grants for apprenticeship programs
• Nationwide apprenticeship programs
• Veterans’ benefits

Apprenticeship is a talent development model that can grow your workforce customized to your needs.

What can an apprentice do for your company?

The skilled workforce is aging and keeping skilled employees can be challenging. You get the opportunity to take individuals with raw talent and train them to your needs. You save money on recruitment. The apprentices that make it through a program have a commitment to their work and a loyalty to their educator/employer that ensures your company a large, diverse, flexible workforce of skilled workers.

Benefits:

• Eliminates need for expensive recruitment programs; people are already trained.
• Creates a diversified and flexible workforce and a larger pool of employees with specific skills.
• Reduces cost of high labor turnover; employees show high morale and loyalty when in a training program that offers upward mobility through career development.
• Increases productivity; employees in a structured training program are motivated to achieve.
• Uses available local education provider facilities for required related classroom instruction.

To begin:

• Contact the Division of Apprenticeship Standards at http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/das_offices.htm and let them guide you in setting up a program, including:
  • Understanding how apprenticeship works.
  • Learning what the state standards for education and employment are.
• Once you have an idea of what facilities are available to you, interview other businesses utilizing apprentices to hear their experiences.
• Take advantage of an opportunity in California to gain skilled employees.