LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools officials have joined city and business partners to celebrate the expansion of registered apprenticeships throughout Kentucky, with JCPS leading the way.
JCPS announced its new apprenticeship program in 2019 and is the largest provider of registered apprenticeship programs in Kentucky across its various district departments.
“Apprenticeships offer hands-on learning, which is the most effective way for students to see the relevance of what they’re learning in school, grow more confident and get excited about ways they can apply themselves,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. “They gain a vision of what it would really look like to have a career in the field they’re exploring.”
The benefits of the apprenticeships aren’t just for the students, according to Pollio: “What would it look like if you didn’t have to scramble to fill openings? What could you do with an additional 10 people on your staff right now to help take your business to the next level? You’re investing in a future where the pool of potential talent for your organization is larger.”
Officials say apprenticeships are a vital part of the city’s talent retention efforts by engaging young people with Louisville’s business community and developing an important pipeline of skilled, experienced workers.
“Connecting our young people to businesses here in the city is an important step in helping our students find their career passion and some of the initial training that hopefully leads to them becoming contributing members of our workforce,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. "The Academies of Louisville and apprenticeships are vital to this work, and we're calling on our business community to get involved, so more students can reap the rewards of hands-on experience."
City officials recognized the selection of Apprenticeship 502, a partnership of JCPS, JCTC, KentuckianaWorks, GLI, and the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, as one of nine recipients out of more than 220 applicants to receive a Partnership for Advancing Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) grant from New America. The grant will allow the group to continue supporting apprenticeships in the Louisville area.
The expansion of registered apprenticeships and work-based learning is a key objective of the Academies of Louisville initiative, which allows students to earn industry certifications, develop relationships with employers and explore core content areas through the lens of their chosen career pathway.
More on WHAS11:
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.