by Shawn Nowlin
Salem and Roanoke City, and Roanoke County Public Schools are all committed to providing students with resources to help them following graduation Students from almost every high school throughout the Roanoke Valley gathered at the Green Ridge Recreation Center on January 16 to participate in a student registered apprenticeship showcase. Among the Salem businesses in attendance were G&H Contracting, Medeco Security Locks and Graham White Manufacturing.
The purpose of the Student Registered Apprenticeship Showcase, according to Mark Jones, was to link students interested in potential long-term careers with employers who are thinking ‘outside the box’ to fill critical needs within their workforce. As the Supervisor of Career and Technical Education for Roanoke County Public Schools (RCPS), Jones is responsible for overseeing all areas of business, marketing, family and consumer science as well as trade and industrial education.
“Employers are looking for a pipeline of young talent to fill vacancies in their respective companies, often caused by the emerging ‘Silver Tsunami’ of retiring workers. When these long-time employees leave, there is not only the physical absence of a worker, but also loss of knowledge gained through years of experience,” Jones said. “An apprenticeship gives students the opportunity to learn from these experienced workers and gain the upper hand in the workforce.”
Unlike an internship, which is typically part-time, a student-registered apprenticeship is a full-time, paid employment opportunity that usually allows students to earn college credits. Director of Career & Technical Education Jason Suhr was asked several times what the difference is between the two.
“A student fortunate enough to be chosen by a company will then work with their school counselor and the business to work out a schedule that will allow the student to work during part of the school day,” Suhr said. “A Signing Day is being planned in late April for new apprentices to ‘sign’ with the company much like an athlete would sign with a college for a scholarship.”
Tony Sanchez, a Salem High junior, said he attended the event because “it’s always a good idea to take advantage of the resources you have at your disposal.” His mother, Marlene, says the student registered apprenticeship showcase was circled on the calendar for weeks.
Rob Leonard, director of Safety and Education for F&S Building Innovations, understands that providing students with work-based learning helps promote their ability to make informed decisions about their post high school career.
“These events work to dispel the stigma and myths that have developed around the trades for decades. It also gives direct, quick access to students and their parents to a wide variety of businesses and their respective high-value career opportunities,” Leonard said.
He continued. “The push for college in the last few decades has improperly placed many workers into occupations or careers where they are not happy and therefore not thriving. This is going to continue to have economic consequences as the occupations requiring college degrees are highly competitive and unfortunately, many workers with college degrees are unemployed or underemployed.”
Before the end of February every company that participated in last Thursday’s event is expected to hold an Open House for students and their families. For more information about the Student Registered Apprenticeship Program, visit www.rcps.us/CTE.
