Apprenticeship Carolina Surpasses Key Milestone Ahead of Schedule
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - Apprenticeship Carolina, a program of the SC Technical College System, today announced that the program has surpassed its 2020 goal of 20,000 apprentices three years ahead of schedule.
Established in 2007, Apprenticeship Carolina works to increase the awareness and use of registered apprenticeships in the state. Apprenticeship Carolina is South Carolina's official liaison for registering programs with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). Growth in registered apprenticeship across the state has been phenomenal.
Since its inception in 2007, the number of programs has increased nine-fold from 90 to 877 registered programs. The number of apprentices is currently just over 26,000 - up from a mere 777 in 2007.
Many think of traditional trades such as construction, electrician and plumber as the ideal occupations for apprenticeship. Apprenticeship Carolina has broadened that scope to include nontraditional industry sectors like health care, information technology, tourism, advanced manufacturing and service industries. Because of its innovative approach and fast growth, Apprenticeship Carolina is held as a model for the nation.
"Registered apprenticeship programs provide bench strength for future leadership - it helps bridge the talent gap that many companies struggle with as their workforce ages. It effectively transfers key knowledge from seasoned employees to new workers," said Dr. Tim Hardee, president of the SC Technical College System. "It's an approach that works. The exponential growth is proof that business and industry in our state see apprenticeship as a crucial tool in their workforce development toolbox."
A study conducted by the SC Chamber of Commerce in 2003 found that a systematic structure should be created for encouraging the development of apprenticeship training opportunities statewide. The study also suggested the best central organization for promoting apprenticeship programs in the state would be the SC Technical College System.
"In 2007, South Carolina had 777 apprentices. At that time, the Chamber set what we felt was an extremely lofty goal of 20,000 apprentices by the year 2020," said Robbie Barnett, chief operating officer for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. "Apprenticeship Carolina's innovative outreach strategy has allowed them to more than surpass this goal three years ahead of schedule. This astounding growth reinforces the Chamber's initial recommendation to house South Carolina's statewide apprenticeship initiative with the SC Technical College System. It was a good decision that has paid off for our state."
An apprenticeship is a time-tested method of employee development that combines supervised on-the-job learning and job-related education. A program "registered" with USDOL shows an employer's visible commitment to developing a high-quality workforce that meets nationally recognized training standards. Registered apprenticeship programs also enable employees to receive incremental wage increases as they demonstrate new competencies throughout the training program. Companies across South Carolina can build a highly-skilled workforce through on-the job training combined with job-related education allowing talented employees to realize their full potential. Apprenticeship programs provide standardized training and operational consistency that in turn ensure reliable workforce performance.
About Apprenticeship Carolina
Apprenticeship Carolina is an integral part of the SC Technical College System that works to ensure all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. These services are available to South Carolina employers free of charge. Interested employers are encouraged to contact Apprenticeship Carolina™ at (803) 896-5287 or to visit www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com.
