September 21, 2017. It’s 6:45 a.m. during the height of summer construction season, and the asphalt plant at Cedar Mountain Stone Corporation in Mitchells, Virginia, has been buzzing with activity since before dawn. Thousands of pounds of crushed rock are moving along conveyor belts to be mixed with hot liquid asphalt in a gigantic drum,[…]
When President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to substantially increase apprenticeships in the United States, he joined a line of recent presidents who have tried to reimagine job training as something that happens on the job instead of mostly in a classroom. Despite this focus at the highest levels of government,[…]
Victor Gutierrez was working his way through community college by balancing two dead-end jobs when he heard about an apprenticeship that would enable him to finish his coursework while earning a paycheck. “It fit perfectly,” he said. But Mr. Gutierrez, 18 years old, isn’t studying welding or auto mechanics. He is majoring in business management[…]
Take one look at ads on Monster.com for manufacturing jobs in San Antonio and you’ll see dozens pop up, posted in just the last few weeks. As with most areas of the country, skilled labor is in demand here. It’s difficult to grow in manufacturing without the right people in place. At Cox Manufacturing, we[…]
The U.S. still lags behind other nations concerning apprenticeships. But can it catch up? Around the U.S., companies are waking up to the ROI potential that such programs offer. While apprenticeships have traditionally focused on blue-collar occupations, there are a growing number of industries that are focused on training the next generation of skilled professionals.[…]
We know that apprenticeship works. We’ve seen firsthand how apprenticeship models succeed in countries likeSwitzerland, Germany and the U.K. We’ve seen apprenticeship programs provide new and exciting opportunities for workers in the United States. And that’s why apprenticeship is a solution that we’re promoting both at home and abroad for a thriving 21st century workforce.[…]
Apprenticeships offer high quality training that combines work-based learning with academic instruction. They raise the earnings of workers and reduce skill shortages experienced by firms. The Labor Department’s Office of Apprenticeship is leading the effort to increase the numbers and widen the occupational coverage of U.S. apprenticeships with demonstration grants, enhanced technical assistance, and the development of[…]
America’s innovative spirit has long been a key ingredient not only of our own success, but also in attracting multinational companies to set up shop. That’s one reason why President Obama issued a challenge to double the number of registered apprenticeships in the United States two years ago. Since then, the U.S. has expanded apprenticeships[…]
Two decades ago Joe Gomez was sitting in a federal cell block after being convicted of selling drugs. He never could have imagined that in 20 years he would be sitting in the gallery of the Iowa Capitol as a guest of the governor. This is his story. The East Moline, Illinois, native and high[…]