Albany Technical College will host the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Apprenticeship Road Trip on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, beginning at 9 a.m., in the Kirkland Conference Center. TCSG has been conducting sessions throughout the state on the various types and benefits of apprenticeship programs for our area companies and organizations. The session should last about 90 minutes. Topics discussed will include German Apprenticeship Model, U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program and other concerns related to apprenticeships.

Over 60 employers and representatives from the counties served by Albany Technical College will attend the meeting to learn more about the benefits of apprenticeships. The purpose of the special event is to inform the community about the different apprenticeship opportunities and the benefits of the various programs. This approach to workforce development supports hands-on experience and helps people earn a wage while gaining industry-recognized credentials.

All 22 of Georgia’s Technical Colleges are members of the USDOL Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium (RACC) and can serve as sponsors for Registered Apprenticeships. If a student graduates as an apprentice then they receive nationally-recognized credentials that certify occupational proficiency from the US DOL as well as a post-secondary award such as a degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit.

WorkSource Georgia, the state of Georgia federally-funded workforce initiative, provides WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) services across the state through 19 local offices. With the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Congress has reauthorized the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), including the Rehabilitation Act, through 2020. Among the programs are Registered Apprenticeships, a work-based training method that combines classroom instruction with formalized on-site, occupation-related training. Those individuals who become “Registered Apprentices” can work 30 plus hours a week and get the classroom instruction through the local technical college.

Employers see the benefit of this model. Georgia has experienced an increase in registered apprenticeships statewide. The costs to the employers in the Southwest Georgia area is zero dollars and the colleges will assist with all paperwork. The cost to the student can be close to zero dollars for enrollment depending on HOPE CAREER grant qualification.