Kiera Riley at The Arizona Capitol Times reports on skilled “earn-while-you-learn” Apprenticeship Programs that are providing students with hands-on experience, all without any debt.  Once in the Trades, Workers receive a livable wage, job security and opportunities for upward mobility.  Though Apprenticeship Programs have made great strides in getting the word out, Training Directors say a stigma still exists when pitching skilled labor as opposed to a four-year college degree.  Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has allocated $500,000 in funds from the U.S. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to expand existing employer-funded registered Apprenticeships, deemed a “down-payment for future expansions and investments in Apprenticeship Programs.”  “It translates to the High School Counselors,” said Shawn Hutchinson, who serves as Program Director for the Phoenix Electrical Apprenticeship Program. “It translates to people who are in the space of getting high school graduates onto a proper career path.  With all the opportunities that we have today, I think that’s translated to a lot of advice to young kids saying: ‘Hey, get yourself into a Trade.’”

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Apprenticeship programs fight blue-collar stigma