Page 11 - Stuff Made and Built in Delaware 2020

EARN WHILE
YOU WORK
Apprenticeships, co-op programs create paid, on-the-job opportunities for students
BY KATIE TABELING
F rank Datillo likes puzzles, and he sees work as a commercial
insulation apprentice as one large, moving puzzle.
“It’s about seeing the finished product, knowing what it looked like when you walked in at the start of an eight-hour shift and how well it’s made at the end,” he says.
Datillo tried a semester of college, but discovered he really wanted to work with his hands. So, he applied for an apprenticeship through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to start something new.
At first, it felt daunting to start a job right out the gate, with Patriot Insulation Contractors. But now, in his final year
of the four-year apprenticeship, Datillo says he’s thoroughly enjoyed learning while earning a paycheck.
“They treat me like family and really teachmesoIcandothebestIcan. There’s other guys that do work at industrial sites, so the pay is higher for them. But I’d rather take the hands-on learning any day,” he says.
Apprenticeships Gain Momentum
Apprenticeships are getting
more traction as a career path in Delaware, now that momentum is shifting away from the message of starting college before being able to compete in the workforce.
“From a policy perspective,
it significantly narrowed the opportunities that were presented,”
says Bryon Short, executive
vice president of the Delaware Contractors Association. “If college is right for what you want in your career, then it’s important. But there’s a whole other world that will welcome you if you have different game plans.”
This college-focused culture may be changing in Delaware. The state’s registered apprenticeship program has 1,600 apprentices to date, which is a 40% bump from where it was
in 2016, according to Kyle Maguire, the Delaware Department of
Labor’s apprenticeship and training manager.
“We’re seeing a lot of buy-in from small shops in this program, so they really have a direct impact on the training process and how the workforce is developed,” Maguire says. “It’s a two-way street.”
To participate in Delaware’s apprenticeship program, a person must find a job with one of the 370 companies that work with the state or convince their employer to sign on. On average, the starting salary is $14 an hour and journeyman wages are $24 an hour, Maguire adds.
For employers like Dave Kitto at Patriot Insulation, there’s vested interest in apprentices because they represent the future of the company. Kitto started as an apprentice himself and eventually worked his way up to the top of this company.
“It’s training the next generation of talent, so I do take a mentorship
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