Vermont Labor Dept announces start of apprenticeship classes

The Vermont Department of Labor announces the start of its fall semester plumbing and electrical apprenticeship classes. The Vermont DOL provides a grant to Vermont Technical College for the related classroom instruction, test preparation and other activities related to this program.
‘Apprenticeship is an excellent opportunity for Vermonters who are interested in the electrical and plumbing trades to enter those professions with an employer-sponsor. The apprenticeship program, with structured on-the-job training and related technical instruction, allows apprentices to learn while earning a competitive salary[1], in jobs that are in high demand’, said Vermont’s Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan.
Classes will begin in early September at many sites around the state. The instruction will be delivered in a traditional classroom format if there is sufficient demand (usually a minimum of 8 students). If the numbers are small in a particular geographic area, classes will be delivered over Vermont Interactive Technologies (VIT ‘interactive television sessions). The classes will run from September until mid-March or early April and consist of 144 hours of instruction.
If you are an employer who may want to sponsor an apprentice(s) or you are a current employer sponsor who wants to enroll a student(s) in class, please contact Debra Smith at 828-4325 or [email protected] or Patricia Nagy at 828-5082 or [email protected]. If you are a worker hoping to enter an apprenticeship program, please visit VDOL’s web site at www.labor.vermont.gov . To access the apprenticeship page and a list of current sponsors, click first on ‘job seekers’and then on ‘apprenticeship’.
[1] Individuals who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program will earn substantially higher wages over their lifetime according to a study released today by the U.S. Department of Labor. The study, An Effectiveness Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Registered Apprenticeship in 10 States, found that over a career of 36 years, participants who completed the Registered Apprenticeship program had average earnings gains of nearly a quarter million dollars ($240,037, increasing to $301,533 with employer benefits added) compared to non-participants. After accounting for costs such as taxes, the net benefits for those who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program are $233,828.
Source: VTDOL. See USDOL report: http://21stcenturyapprenticeship.workforce3one.org/view/DOL_Study_Finds_...