Apprenticeships

 

Last updated June 2019

As businesses struggle to find homegrown talent to fill tomorrow's workplaces and the price of a college education continues to increase year after year, students and parents are starting to question the value of a traditional education experience. Nearly 70 percent of students who graduate high school go on to a four-year college or university but, of that group, only 57 percent will complete a college degree within six years. The other thirty percent enter straight into the workforce with minimal hands-on experience from prospective employers. 

With employers demanding more skilled workers, career pathways or apprenticeships have emerged as the leading way workers can gain learn-on-the-job experience. Several states offer tax incentives and grant funding for establishing apprentice programs, including income tax credits for hiring new apprentices and tax credits for property or equipment used in apprenticeship programs.

Since 2016, 30 states have enacted 60 bills on apprenticeship programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Most of the policies enacted fall into five categories: (1) establishes new apprenticeship programs or new requirements for existing programs; (2) authorizes new funding for apprenticeship programs; (3) seeks to address increasing awareness for available apprenticeship programs; (4) allows for apprenticeship credit to be applied to traditional curriculum requirements; and (5) promotes diversity among apprenticeship programs. 

Apprenticeship Carolina

Apprenticeship Carolina serves over 30,000 apprentices in over 1,000 programs in South Carolina. The program began through the efforts of the Registered Apprenticeship Task Force, which included members from business and industry, secondary and post-secondary education, the workforce investment system, and the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Apprenticeship. They advocated for funding for the program through the SC Technical College System and a year later received $1 million to be invested toward the startup of the program. The program is a response to the shortage of skilled workers and has since been successful in filling this gap.

A major part of its success relies on the incentives offered to employers. Any South Carolina employer can start an internship program, whether they are a small or large organization. Apprenticeship Carolina helps an organization to start up their program with no cost. They help organizations understand the apprenticeship model, set up a program that fits both education and training, and fill out the appropriate paperwork for the U.S. Department of Labor. Additionally, employers can receive a South Carolina tax credit of $1,000 per apprentice per year for up to four years. There are also opportunities for the cost of apprentices, such as instruction and wages, to be covered by those that meet the Workforce Investment Area requirements. 

 

 

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