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Apprenticeships | Specialized Training/Vocational Training | School-to-Work Programs

OCCUPATION OR INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TRAINING

Occupation or industry-specific training programs are just what the words imply - work force development programs to give individuals the skills necessary for employment in particular professions or types of business. These programs are often is developed with the needs of the local economy in mind; therefore, partnerships between educational institutions and industry should be a critical component.


Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship is a formal schooling method in a skilled trade that combines on-the-job-training (paid, full-time employment) with related classroom instruction. This form of training, with a long history among craftsmen, has been employed by many industries.

Examples:

- College Tech Prep, Guilford County, N.C.

Apprenticeships are one element of the College Tech Prep work force development program. Businesses employ student apprentices and place them in a very structured on-the-job training curriculum. Strong partnerships between public agencies, educational institutions and several industry councils account for the program's success. Innovative Local Economic Development Programs (1999). Georgia Institute of Technology. For more information: www.osec.doc.gov/eda/pdf/1G3_1_InnovLDEP.pdf

- Auto Industry, Detroit, Mich.

Detroit's big three automakers have apprentice programs to train participants in a number of auto industry jobs. Each facility that Ford, General Motors, or DaimlerChrysler operates has a joint committee or apprenticeship council composed of United Auto Workers (UAW) and company representatives that administer union apprenticeship programs. The number of apprenticeship positions is negotiated and spelled out in union contracts. Apprentices may be current UAW members interested in learning a new skill or come from a pool of external candidates who must apply and submit to testing. Big 3 Skilled Trades Apprenticeships. Detroit Public Library [online]. For more information: www.detroit.lib.mi.us/ceic/auto_app.htm.

Specialized Training/Vocational Training

Vocational training programs are designed for specific occupations. Instruction is generally very focused on the skills required for employment in one industry and is intended to place individuals along a career path that will lead to long-term stability.

Examples:

- Focus: Hope, Detroit, Mich.

Focus: Hope is a civil and human rights organization that has developed a series of nationally recognized work force training programs. The Machinist Training Institute provides Michigan state-licensed and accredited training in precision machining and metalworking. The institute also offers a pre-engineering curriculum that prepares students for advanced study in engineering at the Center for Advanced Technologies.

The Center is another Focus: Hope program that integrates education and on-the-job learning. Participants work with experienced professionals to meet manufacturing industry contracts. They also engaged in academic work guided by engineering mentors and instructors from partner universities. In addition to these programs, Focus: Hope operates the Information Technologies Center. This center seeks to bridge the digital divide by training individuals in network administration, network installation and desktop support. Focus Hope [online]. For more information: www.focushope.edu.

- Bidwell Training Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Bidwell Training Center maintains a comprehensive selection of specialized training programs for residents looking to upgrade their skills. Vocational programs give instruction in five disciplinary fields: chemistry lab, business travel, culinary arts, information sciences and medical programs. The programs vary in length and breadth, depending on the vocation. Bidwell Training Center [online]. For more information: http://www.bidwell-training.org.


School-to-Work Programs

School-to-Work programs are intended to prepare high school students for the labor market by integrating school-based learning with structured learning experiences at the workplace. Upon completion of a school-to-work program, young people should be qualified for skilled entry-level work, technical training or college. Many school-to-work programs include apprenticeships as an integral part of the program.

Examples:

- The Kalamazoo Valley Consortium Education for Employment Program, Kalamazoo, Mich.

The Kalamazoo Valley Consortium Education for Employment Program is an example of a school-to-work partnership of the community college, nine school districts and major businesses in the county. The partnership pools its resources to help staff and teachers bring job development services to students. A key feature of this program is the use of unpaid internships, which allows students to get early, first-hand knowledge of the demands of a real workplace.

This strategy also gives students high visibility with potential employers. It also creates a linkage between workplace and classroom instruction and paid employment at the same site or in a related industry. The partnership network of colleges, schools and businesses permits resource sharing and access to job development services that no one school or college could provide on its own.

The Kalamazoo program has been particularly effective in helping keep students from dropping out of school. Students who participated in the program were more encouraged to remain in school and had modified their career goals because of the program. Rogers, Anne M., Hubbard, S., Charner, I, Fraser, B.S., Horne, R. (1995). Learning from Experience: A Cross Case Comparison of School to Work Transition Reform Initiatives. National Institute for Work and Learning.

- The Baltimore Commonwealth, Baltimore, Md.

The Baltimore Commonwealth is a partnership that teams the city's business and education communities with government to provide employment training and placement services to the city's youth. The Commonwealth utilizes a "one-stop" approach by consolidating services from many agencies and businesses under one roof. Offices at each of Baltimore's high schools and community colleges, staffed by youth coordinators, recruit students, match them up with available services, and help with job development and placement.

A key strategy used by the Commonwealth is student "career clubs." These clubs offer career counseling and instruction on specific "job-getting" and "job-keeping" skills. Rogers, Anne M., Hubbard, S., Charner, I, Fraser, B.S., Horne, R. (1995). Learning from Experience: A Cross Case Comparison of School to Work Transition Reform Initiatives. National Institute for Work and Learning.

- Craftsmanship 2000, Tulsa, Okla.

Craftsmanship 2000 is a three-year program that combines general education, specialized training and on-the-job experience. Students enter the program in their high school junior year. They take classes at the Tulsa Technology Center where standard courses in English, history, math and physics are taught along with courses in the machine shop.

Students can acquire skills in machining, metal finishing, electronics, hydraulics and machine repair. Technical training continues one year beyond high school. Throughout the program students gain on-the-job experience while serving as apprentices with one of several participating metalworking companies. Tulsa Technology Center [online]. For more information: www.tulsatech.com.

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