Little Rock, Arkansas – Employers are being urged by the Arkansas Office of Skills Development to start new apprenticeship programs in the state. In Arkansas, apprenticeship programs are growing, and companies are seeing the advantages.
During the 10th Annual National Apprenticeship Week, there is a recent drive to promote those programs.
As they collaborate with workforce boards throughout the state, Office of Skills Development representatives are establishing themselves in Little Rock by speaking with employers about apprenticeship options.
The Office of Skills Development’s Apprenticeship Expansion Coordinator, Mark McManus, states that the main advantage of registered apprenticeship is to raise awareness and inform companies and partners about its advantages as a workforce development approach.
Apprenticeship, according to McManus, is a chance to “earn and learn.”
He adds, “They can work for that partnering employer and learn on the job through classroom instruction and on-the-job mentoring.”
According to McManus, the growth of the earn-and-learn initiative began in 2015 when the U.S. Department of Labor and the Employment and Training Administration gave out over $100 million in apprenticeship grants, a significant portion of which went to Arkansas.
“It offset some of the costs associated with classroom training and training, providing seed funding for states to support some new programs,” he says.
Arkansas currently employs over 10,000 apprentices, but the work is far from done.
People have their own ideas about it, he adds. “It may be limited to the construction trades, with licensed electricians and plumbers, and it’s definitely all of that, but it can extend into a variety of different occupational areas,” he says.
McManus is urging firms to use apprenticeship programs in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and cybersecurity. Even the healthcare sector may profit, he believes, particularly in times of nursing shortage.
“I would sort of introduce it by saying that there is a skill deficit. Sometimes people simply lack the abilities, preparedness, and readiness to succeed in certain jobs that are available and in certain occupations that businesses are requesting because they are in high demand, according to McManus.
The apprenticeship program at Riceland Foods in Stuttgart is just getting started. According to recruiter Jake Gunthrap, they intend to eventually use their graduating apprentices to fill difficult-to-fill roles.
“We really expect it to push our workforce forward,” Gunthrap adds, adding that “we expect our workforce to get engaged with the thoughts of expanding career paths and expanding our wages.”
In Arkansas, apprenticeship has been a hot topic. It was the first state to introduce a certification procedure for pre-apprenticeship programs only this year.
The ability to assist in filling difficult-to-fill positions is cited as one of the main advantages of apprenticeships.
