As a newly formed apprenticeship program at Allen Community College continues to take root, Kelly Baker can’t help but envision a viable tool to help employers find quality employees, and aid the students get the skills necessary to become a productive worker.
“There are so many options out there,” said Baker, Allen’s director of workforce development and apprenticeships. “We can do anything from diesel mechanics to retail or allied health. There aren’t many things we couldn’t learn.”
Baker spoke as the local college celebrates National Apprenticeship Day this week, with a small celebration to honor those who have signed up for ACC’s program.
Her biggest obstacle may be impatience, Baker chuckled.
“I’m the type of person who wants things to happen right now,” she said. “But sometimes moving too quickly is a bad thing. We want to take it slowly, to make sure everything is right.”
Baker, who had worked in the college’s financial aid department since 2016, was hired last year as ACC’s first-ever director of workforce development and apprenticeships. It’s her charge to match students with employers willing to invest in having a full-time employee on hand to learn the tricks of the trade.
Through the program, students get on-the-job hours as they work for the employer, as many as 40 hours a week, while getting technical instruction through ACC, or another viable entity.
“Every apprenticeship has a classroom component, but we don’t necessarily have to be the technical instruction provider,” she added. “We have the option to work with other instructional providers for part of it.”
Online instruction is often a core component.
The students are eligible for pay raises as their skills and qualifications increase. Employers, meanwhile, receive a tax credit — as much as $2,500 per apprentice — and potentially much more.
“The biggest seller to the business or the employer’s point of view is that statistically, 92% of apprentices will stay with their businesses,” Baker said.
As for the students, “You’re getting guaranteed money, in that you’re getting paid from Day 1 to learn the job.”
The apprenticeship program is not just for new employees, she added, but can be tailored for current employees looking for new skills.
“One of the things we’ve talked about is we have an aging workforce here,” Baker said. “People are retiring. Are they teaching others how to do their job when they leave? An apprenticeship is an avenue to have older, seasoned workers as your mentors.”
A simple training manual may fall short on providing instruction on “the inner workings,” she said, that are best learned through hands-on experience.
In its first year, Allen has two apprenticeship programs in place, one with the college’s maintenance and repair team, while five students were recently hired as certified nurse assistants at Heartland Meadows Assisted Living Center in Iola.
