Page 48 - SKILLS - 2023

MAKING YOUR CAREER WORK
“You can get a great skill that is transferable and you could take it all over the globe if you want — you can work on any kind of project anywhere, and that makes you more valuable in the marketplace.”
—Deryl Beasley, Regional Director, Lower Hudson Valley, Workforce Development Institute
Finding specific and current openings is as easy as visiting the New York State Department of Labor’s website (dol.ny.gov/apprenticeship/overview), where users can search for recruitment opportunities according to region and type of trade. (Or turn to the next page for a list of local unions offering apprenticeship and training programs.)
Apprenticeship candidates must be a minimum of 18 years old and are typically required to have a high school diploma. At the end of the training period, apprentices will be rewarded with a “Certificate of Completion,” which is a nationally recognized credential, and in some cases, they can simultaneously earn an associate’s degree, with some additional classroom instruction.
Apprenticeships “are full-time positions from day one; you are working as a full-time paid employee, learning the skill set in your daily employment under the supervision of a journey worker [someone who is fully trained within the trade],” says Daniel Paris, a workforce programs specialist in the Apprentice Training Division at the New York State Department of Labor, “which is then supplemented with related instruction.”
Paris says his department works with organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and unions to establish and monitor registered apprenticeship programs, and works to educate job seekers about the benefits of pursuing this path. Depending on the particular trade, an apprenticeship might last from one to six years.
There has been a growing trend in formal apprenticeships in other areas beyond the building and construction trades, such as the direct support professionals (DSP) field — those who work with the developmentally disabled and other aspects of healthcare, according to Paris, who believes the wide range of options provides a wonderful way to embark on a journey toward a well-paying career.
“It is a unique opportunity to get enrolled into an apprenticeship program because you are being paid, with benefits, toward earning a credential; you are not paying somebody to earn it,” he says. “Whether you have prior college credit or you have no college credit — it is definitely something I would encourage anyone to look at.”
Apprenticeships provide a chance for job seekers of any age to acquire real-world experience in a trade while getting paid. The photos on this and the previous page show apprentices of the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 1 in action.
46 2023 SKILLS What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
All images © Courtesy of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 1