Workforce & Business Center Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Programs

The Adams County Workforce & Business Center, a proud partner of the American Job Center network, has announced upcoming health care, construction, and technology pre-apprenticeship opportunities for young adults.

“These work-based programs provide the opportunity for students to explore different careers within a variety of fields where they can interact with industry professionals and engage in hands-on activities to receive entry-level certifications,” said Brett Schager, Workforce and Business Center business development representative. “Our youth program has helped pay for pre-apprenticeships for five students in health care, two in software development, and one in construction.”

The Health Care Pre-Apprenticeship (HCPA) program is a three-week training aimed toward jump starting a career in health care. Training includes individualized coaching and courses with certifications in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), ServSafe, Basic Life Support (BLS), Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Based on the success of the 2017 program, this pre-apprenticeship will return in 2018. Dates and registration will be announced in early 2018.

For students interested in the eight-week Colorado Homebuilding Academy Construction Skills Bootcamp, the training includes small classes and hands-on projects to build a career in construction. Students will learn basic construction skills and receive industry-recognized certifications, a cash incentive for completion, referrals to employers, and a set of starter tools. A new bootcamp starts every month, and enrollment is open now at cohomebuildingacademy.org.

The Techtonic Academy Apprenticeship Training class is for individuals who are ready to take the first step to begin a career as a software developer. During the five-week, instructor-led class, Techtonic Academy students will learn basic coding literacy (how code works, fundamental computational thinking, logic structures and more), as well as gain familiarity with the most common coding languages. Students will also develop the soft skills and career readiness training to work in a software development environment. The Techtonic Group created the first registered apprenticeship in Colorado with the Department of Labor for Information Technology (IT), and the group is providing opportunities to unemployed and underemployed individuals with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for youth, minorities, and veterans to enter the IT workforce. Upcoming classes are available at techtonicgroup.com/academy.

“The Department of Labor, the Obama Administration, and the Trump Administration have supported registered apprenticeships as an opportunity for people who may not want to earn a 4-year degree,” said Schager. “It’s an earn-while-you-learn system, and while most college degrees cost tens of thousands of dollars, apprentices earn wages, incur no debt, and make the same or more than a college graduate by the time they finish.”

Employers and training programs interested in offering pre-apprenticeships can make use of the Department of Labor toolkit by visiting doleta.gov/oa/preapp/.

The Adams County Workforce & Business Center is located at 11860 N. Pecos St., Westminster, with satellite offices in Aurora at 3155 Chambers Rd., Unit C, and in Brighton at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., Ste W-5000. For more information about pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, please call 720.523.6900 or visit adcogov.org/WBC.