National Apprenticeship Week is November 14-20, and Wilson Community College is excited to celebrate and recognize our great apprenticeship programs.
So, what is an apprenticeship? Basically, you work full-time and get paid to go to college. Participants in an apprenticeship program are hired by a company and take classes while employed. They’re able to learn specialized skills and get on-the-job training combined with classroom instruction, all while working towards a degree in a related field. Apprentices often see an increase in pay as they learn new skills too.
And the employers of apprentices have a huge advantage because they’re able to develop a talented team with specialized training. With the support of the College providing the training, it’s really a win-win. Employers often see increased productivity, higher employee engagement, and lower recruitment costs.
We have a strong apprenticeship program with Bridgestone, where those participants are working on an applied engineering degree right here at the College. And our program at GlaxoSmithKlein has apprentices working on a biotechnology degree at WCC. Apprentice Evan Barnes shared, “The Biotechnology Apprenticeship Program is an outstanding opportunity for anyone interested in getting hands-on experience in the workforce while learning all towards a debt-free degree.”
And a recent addition to our support for local apprenticeships is Watson Electrical, which is utilizing the new North Carolina Legislative Expansion Funding to further develop its workforce.
Denise Chalupski, Apprenticeship Training Program Manager for Watson, shared, “The Apprenticeship Grant has allowed us to increase enrollment in our Electrical Apprenticeship Program by approximately 25% this year, and we expect this trend to continue. Our Apprenticeship Program offers employees a path to obtain the education and training necessary to succeed in the electrical field. It also ensures Watson has a pipeline of team members who have the abilities, knowledge, and skills necessary to continue our growth as a company.”
We’re always looking to add more apprenticeship programs, so let us know if your business or industry is interested. More information on that can be found on the Apprenticeships page.
Have questions? Contact Travis Flewelling, Dean of Industrial Technologies and Apprenticeship Coordinator, at tflewelling@wilsoncc.edu or (252) 246-1210. #WilsonCC We make Wilson work.
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- November 17 – Red Cross Blood Drive from 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the Eagles Center