AR welcomes 22 new pre-apprentices

ASHEBORO — Twenty-two area students recently signed up with Apprenticeship Randolph, including four in the newest apprenticeship track, Information Technology. Sixteen students signed up in 2017 — the first year of the program, and 17 signed in 2018. With the addition of Automotive Systems Technology in 2019, 22 signed.

Apprenticeship Randolph began in June 2016 as a collaboration among Randolph Community College, the Randolph County School System, Asheboro City Schools, the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce, and local manufacturers. The goal was to bridge both the interest and skill gaps in modern manufacturing and provide a vehicle for expanding the workforce pool for advance manufacturing in the county. With tuition funded through Career and College Promise and the N.C. Youth Apprenticeship Tuition Waiver Program and books paid for by the school systems and the participating companies, Apprenticeship Randolph produces an educated, skilled, debt-free workforce.

The program, which is for high school juniors and seniors, begins with a six-week, pre-apprenticeship summer program that consists of RCC classes and 40 hours per week of on-the-job training. Once a business selects its apprentice after this trial period, the program is spread over four years with students receiving paid, on-the-job training while earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Manufacturing Technology, in Automotive Systems Technology, or Information Technology through RCC and a Journeyworker Certificate from the N.C. Community College System and U.S. Department of Labor.

This year, more than 100 applications from across the county were submitted for 18 Manufacturing positions and four Information Technology positions.

For more information, click here, contact RCC Pathways Activities Coordinator Stacey Miller at 336-318-4958, or email apprenticeshiprandolph@gmail.com.

Apprenticeship Randolph is always looking to add company partners. Interested 2020-21 rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors should speak with their Career Development Coordinators at their high schools to indicate interest in this program.