Apprenticeship

Overview of Apprenticeship
Registered apprenticeships are voluntary, industry-driven programs sponsored by employers, employer associations, and jointly by management and labor. Apprenticeships combine supervised, structured, on-the-job training and related technical instruction to teach apprentices the skills necessary to succeed in a specific occupation.

Registered Apprenticeship means the apprenticeship is registered with the State. By completing the registration process, the program has to comply with the State and Federal regulations regarding apprenticeship. The main regulations concerning Registered Apprenticeship include: supervised on-the-job training with a ratio of one apprentice to one journeyperson (skilled craftperson), the on-the-job training meets the minimum 2,000 hours (per year if the apprenticeship is longer than 1 year) and related classroom instruction meets the minimum 144 hours (per year if the apprenticeship is longer than 1 year).

Apprenticeships are jobs
The apprentice works full time and receives training from the sponsoring organization. Typically apprentices are hired at a percentage of a journeyperson’s salary. As the apprentice completes training section as and demonstrates skills mastery, the percentage of a journeyperson’s wage received increases until the apprentice makes journeyperson’s wages upon completing the program.

Apprenticeships are designed to meet the workforce needs of the sponsors. Because of a need for highly skilled workers many sponsors use apprenticeship as a method to train employees in the knowledge necessary to become a skilled worker. This also means the number of apprenticeships available are also dependent on the current training needs of the industry.

Apprenticeships are In-Depth and Certified
The minimum length of an apprenticeship is one year, however, most apprenticeship programs take 3-6 years to complete. Successful completion of a registered apprenticeship leads to a nationally recognized Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship attesting to the individual’s attainment of skills and knowledge to be considered a journeyperson.  In Maryland there are over 230 registered occupations and over 9,000 registered apprentices; most of which are within the building trades and construction industries.