Registered apprenticeship is one of the oldest – and most successful – forms of job training, which gives an individual the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’. Most importantly, you do not need to be highly skilled to enter a trade apprenticeship. Instead, over the course of 3-5 years, you will receive hands-on training with related classroom instruction in a skilled craft. Once entered into an apprenticeship you will be paid from your first day of employment; your wages increase each year as you progress both on the job and in the classroom.
Apprenticeship is employment. An apprentice is paid to work on construction sites. On-the-job training is provided and supervised by trades’ professionals. After completing all the requirements, the apprentice becomes a journey-level craftsperson.
At a local level, each apprenticeship program is administered by Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATCs), made up of equal numbers of employer and employee representatives in the specific trade or craft. Apprenticeship programs and their standards are developed by the training committees and then approved by the RI Department of Labor and Training. Individual employers or employer associations can also sponsor apprenticeship programs. Only apprenticeships registered with the RI Department of Labor and Training guarantee quality training and career opportunities.