Midlands Technical College leads on apprenticeships

Learning Resources Network (LERN), the largest association in continuing education in the world, recognized MTC with its Best Business and Industry Practice award. From the award announcement, “The MTC business and industry practice was excellent. They highlighted LERN’s recommendation to ‘find a gap and fill it!’ They established a model to optimize a business’s recruitment by building it around an apprenticeship program.”

“Our dive into apprenticeship as a core strategy started about five years ago,” said Amy Scully, Vice Provost for Corporate and Continuing Education. “With apprenticeships, we are able to solve a workforce shortage while providing students relevant career training that allows them to quickly earn family-sustaining wages.”

Since July 2020, MTC has conducted training for nearly 700 registered apprentices for local organizations. The college is on track to surpass 1,000 apprentices before the end of the fiscal year in June 2022.

Josh Shore, General Manager of Medshore Ambulance Services, said, “This [partnership] has been so successful at helping to tackle the staffing crisis in our industry that we are now exploring ways to apply a similar model aimed at fixing the paramedic shortage. It is a nationwide, industry-wide problem. Partnerships like this are the only way this industry will survive long term.”

LERN serves over 800 organizations throughout the United States and Canada that are engaged in providing continuing education to their communities.

The college’s work in apprenticeships doesn’t end with assisting other organizations. Last year, MTC created its first apprenticeship program for MTC employees that was approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP).

The new program, titled the Provost’s Leadership Academy, has 24 participants who are achieving competencies to prepare them to grow into future leaders who will protect and continue the college’s legacy. Participants will receive an MTC Provost’s Leadership Academy apprentice credential from the U.S. DOL upon successful completion of the program.

“Developing the next generation of leaders has never been more important to our students’ and college’s success, said Barrie Kirk, MTC Provost. “An important trait of all great leaders is that they continuously learn and grow.”

For MTC employees to participate in the Provost’s Leadership Academy, they must have two years of MTC service and agree to complete 12 training sessions in year one, complete all assignments and projects, and participate in a mentorship program in year two.

“Historically, apprenticeships have not been as commonly implemented in state government agencies and other non-profits,” Kirk added. “We are leading by example and showing it’s a winning strategy that will work for all sectors and industries.”

If your company or organization is interested in starting an apprenticeship or has other workforce needs, please contact the MTC Business Solutions team at www.midlandstech.edu/corporate.