For decades, apprenticeships have provided entry-level learners a unique opportunity to work alongside a professional while mastering their skills. From novice to expert, student apprentices excel in their careers with clarity, confidence and curiosity. Apprenticeship programs aspire learning to drive excellence and at CCBC, apprentices learn the skills needed to become experts in their field.
Dedicated to training new generations of practitioners both on-site and in the classroom, CCBC’s apprenticeship programs proudly embrace the motto “Earn While You Learn.”
“The student apprentice will start earning wages on day one, so it is an immediate connection for a student to a good job with a local employer,” said CCBC Project Director of Scaling Apprenticeships John Delozier. “It’s one of the oldest and most proven training models of all time.”
Registered apprentices typically work full-time in well-paying jobs as they complete a specialized training program. Thanks to a variety of dedicated employers, students receive the hands-on experience and committed mentorship they need to build career success. When you think of apprenticeships, you probably think of traditional apprenticeships in fields like electricity or plumbing. CCBC is modernizing this time-honored tradition by furthering the implementation of non-traditional apprenticeship programs.
To address Maryland’s pressing and ever-changing workforce challenges, CCBC is advancing the implementation of non-traditional apprenticeships in industries such as health care, manufacturing, and information technology. Traditional apprenticeship programs produce highly qualified and safety trained tradespeople such as ironworkers, carpenters, or operating engineers. Non-traditional apprenticeship programs may prepare the apprentice for fields such as health care support or cybersecurity.
“Non-traditional apprenticeship programs provide instruction and work experience with the goal that they will be retained as employees of that company,” said Elizabeth Wojtisek, CCBC Apprenticeship Center project director. “The key takeaway is that they get instruction as a student and work experience – perhaps in an office, clinical or production setting – as a regular employee.”
Students in CCBC’s Patient Care Technician (PCT) program, for example, work and learn in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). The PCT apprentice works and collaborates closely with an experienced health care team. Performing delegated nursing functions and providing proper patient care, PCT apprentices advance their nursing skills in both lab and hospital settings.
Simply put, the PCT program provides apprentices with valuable access to the world of medicine. Before enrolling in the program, Tanisha Pettiford was only able to work in certain facilities like nursing homes and rehabilitation centers as a Certified Nurse Aid but hoped to one day work in a hospital. CCBC inspired her to continue her education and achieve Certified Patient Care Technician Status. Now, she works at UMMC.
“CCBC made it possible for me to achieve my dream,” said Pettiford. “The people who coordinated the program really took care in making sure we followed through and walked us along every step of the program.”
From training medical assistants and pharmacy technicians to steam fitters and sheet metal workers, CCBC believes in providing students with state-of-the-art facilities and top-notch curriculum. Combining those resources with the features of a registered apprenticeship results in a compelling experience.
“Typically, registered apprenticeships are designed so that the cost of tuition is not born by the apprentice,” said Jay Bouis, assistant dean of Applied Technology and Logistics. “An apprenticeship is not easy. An apprenticeship is about commitment. However, the combination of paid employment and high-quality training creates a path for a great career.”
The length of time to complete a specific apprenticeship program is directly related to occupation requirements. Traditional skilled-trade apprenticeships take roughly three to five years to complete, while certain non-traditional apprenticeships may take as little as one year to finish.
Upon completion, apprentices earn CCBC credential(s), and possibly certification(s) depending on the specific program, and a journeyperson certificate from the Maryland Department of Labor. Journeypersons may journey on to become supervisors, business owners, instructors and so much more. With the opportunity to work not just in the state, but all over the country and around the globe, apprentices enter a world of diverse career opportunities.
