Registered Apprenticeship
Registered Apprenticeship is a full-time employment and training program that leads to a career. It requires learning a trade on the job under the guidance and direction of a skilled employee and supplementing that learning with related technical instruction in subjects related to the occupation. Registered Apprenticeship is similar to an "industry scholarship" since apprentices are learning occupational-specific education/technical instruction that is being paid for by the employer/sponsor. A sponsor may be a single employer, a group of employers, or jointly where there is a labor-management relationship. The sponsor sets the hiring criteria for apprentices and hires to meet their needs.
More than 950 occupations are recognized as apprenticeable. These include occupations in: building and construction, manufacturing, service, transportation, government, and utilities. Generally, any occupation is apprenticeable that is not management level, that does not normally require education through a four-year college, and that requires at least one year of on-the-job learning.
By sponsoring a Registered Apprenticeship program, employers can build employee loyalty, reduce the cost of training, attract more and better qualified applicants, and improve productivity. Registered Apprenticship programs provide an opportunity for sponsors to share the costs of training by using available federal and state resources to assist in developing and delivering training programs.
Apprentices are paid according to a predefined wage progression, typically starting their apprenticeship at 40 percent to 50 percent of the skilled employee wage. As knowledge and skills of the apprentice increase, so do their wages. Upon completion of the training, apprentices receive a Completion of Apprenticeship certificate, certifying mastery of industry skills. The certificate is a nationally recognized portable credential. Many apprentices also obtain credit from community colleges toward an Associate Degree.
For details, please contact:
Loretta Shelley, Apprenticeship Program Manager
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Phone: (785) 296-4299
Fax: (785) 296-1404
TTY: (785) 296-3487
E-mail: lshelley@kansasworks.com