Students looking for exciting and rewarding career opportunities, as well as working adults seeking a career change, are invited to participate in the Oakland County Apprenticeship Showcase.
The event, being held virtually for the first time to assure everyone’s safety in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 19.
Participation is free, but advance registration is required to receive login information. To sign up, visit https://app.brazenconnect.com/a/Michigan/e/6xoAD.
The Apprenticeship Showcase is being hosted by Oakland County Michigan Works! and Oakland Schools, in partnership with Oakland Community College, Oakland County Economic Development and the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity.
“An apprenticeship can be a rewarding career move, combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction that ultimately leads to outstanding full-time job opportunities,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “This showcase gives participants the chance to meet one-on-one with organizations that offer Registered Apprenticeship programs and their representatives are ready to answer questions about how to get started.”
Employers participating in the Apprenticeship Showcase represent a number of industries:
• Building Trades
• Manufacturing
• Health Care
• Pharmacy
• Information Technology
• Culinary
A Registered Apprenticeship is a primary postsecondary pathway promoted by Oakland Schools through its career readiness team. Upon completion of a Registered Apprenticeship, a person typically earns one or more professional certifications or certificates.
“Apprenticeships continue to be an important means of providing relevant and rigorous preparation for students interested in careers in multiple industries such as construction, skilled trades, information technology and more,” said Jarrad Grandy, executive director of student services at Oakland Schools. “We support Oakland County’s employers in this initiative to expand opportunities to prepare talent in our county. “
The Apprenticeship Showcase takes place as the state of Michigan places more emphasis on Registered Apprenticeship programs. The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity recently announced grants totaling more than $6 million to help support the development of more than 2,300 Registered Apprenticeship opportunities across the state. This includes $625,000 to Oakland County Michigan Works! for 250 apprentices, which will help cover costs of on-the-job learning and related technical instruction to earn certificates and certifications for in-demand careers.
“Apprenticeships benefit everyone,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, director, Oakland County Michigan Works! “Companies build their future workforce from within, while apprentices learn hands-on skills and more while being paid and avoiding debt. Don’t miss this chance to see firsthand why Registered Apprenticeships are growing in popularity among people of all ages.”
For additional information on the Oakland County Apprenticeship Showcase, visit www.oaklandcountymiworks.com.
Oakland County Michigan Works! operates service centers in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy, and Waterford. Combined, they assist more than 105,000 job seekers annually. Services include career coaching, interviewing and job search workshops, placement assistance, training courses and job trend information.
The service centers also assist more than 3,000 employers seeking assistance with talent recruitment, apprenticeship programs, job fairs, candidate pre-screening, hiring, and training support, layoff support and labor market data.
Service center staffs remain available by virtual appointment to work one-on-one with job seekers to build their resumes, prepare for job interviews and help address other needs. To schedule a virtual meeting, call 1-248-858-5520 and select the nearest office. The service centers are hosting several virtual workshops for job seekers. A schedule can be found at OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.
