November 17-23 marks the tenth annual National Apprenticeship Week. CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas is celebrating the contributions that its business and labor partners have made to the regional workforce by making registered apprenticeships available to local job seekers.
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is the region’s elite provider of crisis and trauma services, offering a range of services to meet the community’s needs.
In the past year, 59 people enrolled in the Crisis Center’s emergency medical technician (EMT) apprenticeship. 57 apprentices completed the program, a 96 percent completion rate, and 49 of the apprentices have earned their EMT license. The remaining eight apprentices will sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam soon.
Evara Health
For more than 40 years, Evara Health has been Pinellas County’s trusted safety net healthcare provider. They currently operate 16 health centers and two mobile health centers in Pinellas County and provide strategically-targeted health care services to underserved, low-income, uninsured, and underinsured communities.
Related: FloridaCommerce Awards Grant to CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas
Evara Health has been awarded a $3.82 million Apprenticeship Building America grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, which has the potential to revolutionize healthcare workforce training locally. The organization is about to launch and scale apprenticeship programs to fill critical roles such as medical assistants, behavioral health technicians, dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, and limited scope radiologists.
According to data provided by FloridaCommerce, by 2032, medical assistant positions are projected to grow 13.7 percent, behavioral technician positions are projected to grow by 7.9 percent, dental assistants by 8.3 percent, pharmacy technicians by 8.4 percent, and radiology technicians by 6.7 percent.
Tampa JATC Electrical Apprenticeship Program
The Tampa Area Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) is a partnership between the Florida West Coast Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 915.
From July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024, 23 people completed the apprenticeship program and earned their Journeyman Wireman certification. Currently there are 110 JATC apprentices who are gaining job experience while the apprenticeship program provides tools, books, career coaching and counseling.
The funding for this on-the-job training is made possible through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding provided by CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas. According to data provided by FloridaCommerce, by 2032, electrician positions are projected to grow 8 percent.
Apprenticeship programs reduce turnover rates, increase productivity, lower the cost of recruitment and increase safety. According to Apprentice Florida, for every dollar employers invest in apprenticeships, they receive an average of $1.50 in return. Registered apprentices earn nearly 2.5 times more than their peers over the course of their careers.
