In recent years, there has been a huge push for more short-term job training in Florida, and Governor Ron DeSantis has set a bold goal for the state to be #1 in the nation for workforce education by 2030. Apprenticeships play an important role in that goal, and roughly 400,000 apprentices participate every year in about 20,000 registered apprenticeship programs across the county, according to the Florida Department of Education.
St. Petersburg College has partnered with different employers and organizations like CareerSource Pinellas, Geographic Solutions, Evara Health, and Powertown Line Construction to develop robust apprenticeships and help SPC students get the skills they need to succeed.
As Leisa Rasmussen, the Apprenticeship Program Manager for the Florida Department of Education, shared in a recent webinar with SPC, apprenticeships provide a number of benefits for students and employers.
“Apprenticeships allow you to develop your future workforce. That’s probably the most important thing, especially as we see 2.5 percent unemployment,” Rasmussen said. “It also reduces the high cost of training and recruiting.”
From a business perspective, apprenticeships result in higher personnel retention, better employee loyalty, and improved productivity and safety, as well. They also offer employers a pipeline to more diverse applicants.
The apprenticeship program at SPC is an employer-driven collaboration, and the college serves as a direct sponsor. SPC works directly with employers to deliver technical instruction through a combination of for-credit and non-credit courses to meet their future workforce needs. Chosen apprentices engage in the “earn while you learn” model, leading to an industry credential and potential college credit.
Registered apprenticeships are not to be confused with internships, contract positions, or part-time jobs. Apprentices are full-time employees who receive wages and benefits. Contrary to what some may think, apprenticeship programs aren’t only for unions either, which has allowed Florida-based programs to expand into several different industries and career paths.
“We’ve been involved in the [apprenticeship] program with SPC for at least eight years, and we’ve brought on quite a few apprentices and permanent hires,” said Tony Francisco, Founder and CEO of CloudPlus. “We’ve found this program to be extremely successful, and the evolution of it has been incredible to watch.”
To learn more about the SPC apprenticeship program and how the college is powering the Florida workforce, visit http://stpe.co/apprenticeships.
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