Apprenticeships keep manufacturing strong and productive, and all parties involved would benefit if they were implemented throughout the United States. In 2018, more than 261,000 people in the U.S. began or registered for apprenticeships, and at least 3,229 new apprenticeship programs started up. Within manufacturing, technical training organizations such as SkillsUSA and numerous statewide programs offer myriads of opportunities for career development. But these programs lack the impact of a truly nationwide apprenticeship system.
Other countries understand and invest in the value of apprenticeships. Germany and Switzerland, for example, implement national apprenticeship programs. Switzerland’s system graduates people who can master any CNC machine, and whose credentials immediately signal their advanced skills to any employer.
These programs benefit more than just the apprentices who start their careers through them. Manufacturers can fill jobs with workers who have mastered the specific skills they need for success. Because apprenticeships mean learning on the job, they enable manufacturers to fill skilled vacancies sooner than through conventional employee-search channels. Above all, apprentices quickly become trusted, valued workers who help manufacturers raise morale and increase staff retention.
Apprenticeships also help mitigate erroneous perceptions about manufacturing jobs. Swiss manufacturers host open houses so their local communities can see what they have to offer. A visit to a clean high-end shop with impressive new technology dispels the image of factory work as dark, dirty and dangerous. Open houses also offer an invaluable opportunity for individuals to see the value of a lucrative manufacturing career as an alternative to post-secondary education.
College isn’t for everyone, and an apprenticeship takes less time and money than a traditional university degree. Apprentices receive both on-the-job training and classroom instruction, enabling them to become productive employees more quickly than they would if they entered the workforce after earning a degree.
Of course, apprentices remain trainees until they graduate, and manufacturers don’t gain the full value of their investment in apprentices until their new employees reach full proficiency. Likewise, apprentices can leave one manufacturer for another, taking the value of their training with them. But in the context of a nationwide program, all manufacturers can benefit equally from the availability of motivated trainees who want the advantages of a manufacturing career.
Apprenticeships send skilled workers down a stable career path that pays well and keeps them in demand as machines become increasingly sophisticated. Many employment sectors, including manufacturing, rely on apprenticeship programs to provide a skilled future workforce. Because so many industries depend on manufacturing, investing in apprenticeships invests in individual workers, manufacturers’ productivity and the overall economy. A nationwide apprenticeship program would make it easier for workers and employers alike to succeed.