Items Tagged with 'apprenticeship'

As part of the program, participants will complete structured training and receive industry-recognized credentials, including OSHA-10, First Aid/CPR (FA/CPR), and Fall Protection Awareness.

I'm grateful my family showed my brother the value of trades. After my great-grandfather's plumbing business closed, my dad became a welder and shared his skills with my brother during many afternoons in the work shed, like an apprentice learning from a master.

Did you know that plumbing apprenticeships can be dated all the way back to the European medieval period? Back in the 1300s-1500s, Masters of trades would take on young, unskilled workers and teach them their craft in exchange for their indentured servitude, wherein they would work for years without pay while they honed their craft.

Kit Dickinson explores six strategies contractors can use to train, retain, and motivate a younger workforce in an industry undergoing rapid change.

Winners Josh Vogt, Cody Green and Daniel Pritchett were sponsored by A.O. Smith, Moen and the Copper Development Association, respectively. 

Apprenticeship has long been the heartbeat of the plumbing and HVAC trades. But for today’s apprentices, training looks different than it did for their mentors and parents. With new online programs, flexible learning schedules, and updated curriculum that reflects the latest industry standards, apprentices are able to gain both the technical “booksmarts” and the on-the-job confidence needed to thrive.

Most crucial of all is developing a strong team of mentors who can help nurture aspiring technicians. This is often where the true value of an apprenticeship program is revealed. Most contractors have at least one veteran tradesperson about whom they would say, "I wish I had 10 of them!"

Gen Z is reshaping the workforce by opting for trades like plumbing instead of costly four-year degrees. With rising tuition and student debt, they’re seeking immediate job opportunities, which presents a tremendous opportunity for our industry. If you're not tapping into their potential, you're missing out.

In the trades, apprenticeships form the basis for skill development, but the concept should extend beyond entry-level roles to become a lifelong approach to leadership.

Andrew Wilson and Alex Phrommany were honored as the 2024 Plumbing Apprentice of the Year and HVAC Apprentice of the Year, respectively.