The (REAL) Apprentice
Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) is home to nearly 300,000 residents and a variety of companies. Thanks to a business-friendly environment, continuous positive economic growth, and a City that supports ongoing improvements in key infrastructure, our roster of fantastic companies calling the SCV home continues to grow.
Despite the fact that the Santa Clarita Valley is home to a well-educated population, one issue local employers frequently have is finding a qualified workforce. There are a variety of training programs offered locally through College of the Canyons, but perhaps the most exciting new development is the rise (or resurrection) of the apprentice.
So what exactly is an apprenticeship? Officially, an apprenticeship is a training model that is used to enable companies to develop a pipeline of talent for critical positions within their organizations. An apprenticeship consist of two components: 1) On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Related Technical Instruction (RTI). The OJT is developed by the company and involves a set of skills the apprentice is expected to master based on work experience. The minimum OJT experience is one year and can extend to up to four years depending on the occupation. RTI is generally offered by a Community College or other Local Educational Agency and consist of course work relevant to the skills being gained from the OJT experience.
There are many benefits to participating in an apprenticeship program:
- Grow your own workforce
- Access to workforce dollars
- Increased employee engagement
- Reduced absenteeism
- Reduced turnover
- Increased productivity
In an effort to drive the expansion of apprenticeships in California, College of the Canyons has formed a partnership with Goodwill Southern California to form the “Strong Workforce Apprenticeship Group,” aka SWAG. SWAG is a part of “Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy,” a statewide program that invests more than $200 million dollars annually into career education among the California’s 114 community colleges.
As part of the celebrations for the upcoming National Apprenticeship Week (November 13-17), there will be a luncheon at College of the Canyons Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center on Thursday, November 16 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. You are invited to find out more information about apprenticeships and meet with companies who are already utilizing the program.
Workforce development is a high priority for the SCVEDC. The new apprenticeship programs are ways in which we can both train up a new generation of employees and strengthen employer engagement to build upon great workforce training models already in place in Santa Clarita.
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) is a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.
