Value of Apprenticeship

AJAC has fostered long-lasting relationships with its network of 300 employers to build, grow, and sustain industry-driven apprenticeship programs.

The education, workforce, business and government partnerships that support AJAC help companies to build a talent pipeline while reducing turnover costs, and increasing employee retention. Our programs contribute to the diversity and productivity of the workforce, and to the promotion of a corporate culture which emphasizes continuous learning and innovation.

Voices from the Field: Employer Perspectives on Apprenticeships

AJAC metal fabricator apprentice measuring part

Workforce Recruitment & Diversity

Apprenticeships:

Increase skilled worker pipeline and diversity (ethnicity and gender) of companies
Cultivate talent sources that have long been overlooked
Challenge “old school” myths about manufacturing companies and career, through different messaging and marketing

“As an employer we use many different strategies to find and support workers to develop new skills. Apprenticeship is one of the best. That is where AJAC steps in. Supporting apprenticeship is something that sets a company apart as one that promotes worker learning and advancement.” – Employer

AJAC youth apprentice at national signing day

Company Connections

Partnering with AJAC:

Improves employer connection with K-12 and the community by creating awareness of the companies training investment
Increases employer connection to community based organization, high schools, labor unions, community/technical colleges, and workforce boards
Develops a deeper understanding of the way students, parents, and teachers think about manufacturing, and provide an opening for employers to dispel myths
Builds alliances and a healthy dose of competition on the ground level as apprenticeship students who work in different companies bond and share skills and information

“Because of the involvement in AJAC the company is much more engaged in the high schools and reaching out to high school students. We also are better known to community based organizations too.” – Employer

What we’ve been able to do with the AJAC program is start somebody at one level, see some success, move them into a different program, as they advance their career with us at Machinists, Inc. The variety of different programs AJAC offers, really helps us stay ahead and help our employees gain new skills and advance what they’re doing at the company.
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Machinists, Inc.

AJAC Partnering Employer

Seattle, Washington

Workforce Knowledge, Skills, and Performance

Apprenticeships:

Increase productivity of employees and the company overall
Allows apprentices to take what they learn in class and apply innovative strategies to the shop floor
Create a cultural focus on training and learning
Promote cross training of workers in skills that they learn in apprenticeship classes

“Apprentices may be on a learning curve, but I really appreciate that they can take what they learn in class to the worksite and what they encounter as a problem in the worksite to their class. The skills they are learning are a good foundation. We know that in the long haul having apprentices increases the overall productivity of the company because we are creating an environment focused on skill advancement.” – Employer

Workforce Cost Savings

Having apprentices can:

Eliminate errors and waste fewer materials due to mistakes on the worksite
Lower onboarding costs
Reduce the cost of hiring staffing agencies; attending job fairs; advertising job openings and other hiring-related costs
Promote worker movement between jobs, potentially reducing the need to hire for certain positions

“There is no doubt that being involved in apprenticeships helps draw attention to the company, and assists in reducing recruitment costs. I think it also gives workers incentives to develop skills that they can use on the worksite. Skills that may save us some money because they make fewer mistakes or go faster than other comparable workers who are not in apprenticeships.” – Employer

Adopting AJAC’s apprenticeship allowed Washington Beef to restructure and reorganize their maintenance department to where they can put in silos of competency and create a hierarchy within the organization—making an industrial maintenance technician the sought after role. The result? It has leveled the playing field for the younger generation, for individuals that are willing to come in and pursue scholastic advancement as well as a skill advancement using advanced technologies and processes.
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Washington Beef (Agri Beef)

AJAC Partnering Employer

Toppenish, Washington

Workforce Readiness

Apprentices:

Build a workforce that is better equipped to meet deadlines and quickly adapt to new technologies
Diagnose problems through new ideas cultivated by classroom learning

“Apprentices are used to deadlines in school. This carries over to work too. I just think overall apprentices might have better work habits, and be more committed to being on time, meeting deadlines and focused on learning.” – Employer

Workforce Retention

Apprentices:

Increases employee retention because of the company’s investment in education while reducing turnover

“I think apprentices have better retention because the company is making an investment of time and money and they are invested in the training.” – Employer

* Quotes provided to AJAC were submitted anonymously via a recent employer survey

Case Studies