Kentucky Ag Connection - Kentucky Labor Cabinet Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week

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Kentucky Labor Cabinet Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week
Kentucky Ag Connection - 11/17/2017

This week the Kentucky Labor Cabinet celebrates National Apprenticeship Week in Kentucky, Nov. 13-17, by highlighting the 183 sponsors and approximately 3,200 apprentices who participate in a Registered Apprenticeship program across the state.

"Our vision for Kentucky is to be the hub of excellence for manufacturing and engineering in the United States, a reality that can only be realized with a highly skilled workforce," said Gov. Bevin. "Apprenticeships are a powerful tool for training and developing workers, providing opportunities that cannot be found anywhere else and an opportunity to earn while you learn."

Since launching in September of last year, the 'Kentucky Trained. Kentucky Built' campaign has paved the way for new program sponsors to adopt the Registered Apprenticeship model allowing new industries to open career pathways for Kentuckians through apprenticeships.

"It's time to change lenses and get a fresh perspective on the apprenticeship model," Labor Secretary Derrick Ramsey stated. "Gone are the days of the dark, dirty and dangerous factories, those images that haunt us from the turn of the century. Contemporary apprenticeship is inviting, and beckons apprentices from all walks of life to earn on the job while receiving state of the art training in careers with excellent stability and growth potential."

One such company is American Metal Works in Paintsville, which created the first CNC programming apprenticeship program in the region.

"I was a miner, and was laid off more times than I care to remember," said Will Carty, Apprentice of American Metal Works. "When American Metal Works in Paintsville approached me about this opportunity, I was certainly skeptical. The apprenticeship with this company has truly opened my eyes to the many education and career opportunities that exist in my own backyard. I have accomplished things, with their help, that I could have only dreamed about in the past."

Another such company is Norton Healthcare in Louisville, where there are currently over 100 nursing apprentices who are a part of the first nursing apprenticeship in the country.

"Our apprenticeship program is one way in which we can continue to have highly trained nurses and other professionals to help us meet the health care needs of our community," said Russell F. Cox, president and chief executive officer, Norton Healthcare. "We're pleased to help individual students reach their goals and start down their path of life-long learning at Norton Healthcare."

According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, there are approximately 505,000 apprentices enrolled in Registered Apprenticeship programs across the country an increase of 57,000 from FY 2015. In FY 2016, over 49,000 participants graduated from the apprenticeship system, where, on average, graduates receive a starting salary of $60,000.

Registered Apprenticeships in Kentucky are supplying Kentucky's workforce with innovative job training. Currently, there are eight industries participating in Registered Apprenticeships including construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology and networking, service and retail industries, health care, public utilities and public sector.

Among these participating industries, Registered Apprenticeships are diversifying the workplace by providing opportunities to all Kentuckians. Since the Apprenticeship USA Expansion Grant in November of last year, Kentucky has added 49 veterans, 58 minorities, 28 women, 337 youths aging 16-24 and 99 Department of Juvenile Justice Youth to Apprenticeship Programs throughout the state.

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