Best of Both Worlds (WCC News)

December 17, 2021 Washtenaw Community College

When Ally Norris reports to her job at the Service Desk at Michigan Medicine, she’s being paid for a 40-hour work week as she trains for a career in information technology.

One of 45 active apprentices placed with businesses around southeast Michigan through Washtenaw Community College, Norris is part of a program that will end with her earning an IT journeyman certificate, a WCC certificate in Computer Systems Technology and being prepared for the COMP TIA industry A+ certification exam, an important credential within the industry.

WCC works with employers and students alike to develop apprenticeship programs to meet industry needs and connect students to opportunities in advanced manufacturing, health care, IT, including cybersecurity, and other industries. Apprentices develop skills both with on-the-job training and in WCC classes, which are led by industry experts.

Students earn while they learn. Businesses fill their talent pipeline. It’s a win-win.

“It’s a really unique way to get on-the-job training and formal education at the same time,” Norris said. “It’s been really handy because I didn’t have to worry about finding the money to go back to school.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in English in 2010, Norris had a change of heart about the teaching career path she had been following. After working a series of tech-related jobs, she landed at U-M and in the WCC apprenticeship program.

Employers invest in an apprentice program to develop their talent pool, and national data indicates that 94% of registered apprentices stay with the company where they trained after earning their credential. The average national starting wage for those who complete a registered apprenticeship program is more than $70,000.

ally norris

It’s a really unique way to get on-the- job training and formal education at the same time... It’s been really handy because I didn’t have to worry about finding the money to go back to school.

Today’s workforce is rapidly changing, with a demand for increasingly sophisticated and technologically advanced skill sets. This dynamic has created a crucial need for companies to implement training programs designed to equip employees with the required skills to allow the companies to operate successfully.

To address this demand, the Workforce Development department at Washtenaw Community College has partnered with companies across the region to provide training programs that address current skill gaps.

One such company is Pollard Banknote, Ltd., in Ypsilanti. WCC has been helping to train their apprentices for years. Travis George, an electromechanical technician with the lottery ticket printing facility, completed an apprenticeship through WCC’s Mechantronics program in December.

He says the state-of-the-art lab spaces in the college’s Occupational Education Building provided him with real-world experience he needed.

“WCC has excellent, hands-on programs and labs,” he said. “If you take a Robotics class, there are labs with 10 or more robots. You’ll build circuits and troubleshoot real-world symptoms of various common electrical failures in manufacturing.”

One of the purposes of a community college is to be the economic driver for the region it serves. That’s the main mission of the WCC Workforce Development department, by providing employers with customized training rooted in requisite skills.

For more information on WCC’s apprenticeships, email [email protected] or call (734) 677-5393.

Tags: Launch Winter 2022, ousearch_News_Launch Magazine

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