How to Explore Apprenticeship Opportunities in the United States

The Registered Apprenticeship System through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship (OA - http://www.doleta.gov/OA/) provides opportunities in construction, manufacturing, and medical fields. Training is provided on-the-job, technical training, and through mentoring. Some training is provided without costs and some require fees. Organizations such as COMPTIA are cerfication corporations which provide testing content for students to study. Testing is provided by third-party testing companies using various locations throughout the United States. Corporations will often pay to have their employees certified through companies such as COMPTIA. Microsoft Corporation also provided certification for various software applications such as Windows Vista, Windows Server, SQL Server, and network administration functions.

• Apprenticeship Each state has its own Office of Apprenticeship. For example, California offers apprenticeships in public works and electrician certification (http://www.dir.ca.gov/apprenticeship.html), however, there are more than 800 opportunities in the United States and 200 in California (http://www.dir.ca.gov/das/educators.htm).
• Apprenticeship Here’s a list of several organizations sponsoring apprenticeships: Health Care, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL - http://www.cael.org); Manufacturing, National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc. (NIMS - http://www.nims-skills.org); Information Technology, Computing Technology Industry Association Educational Foundation, Inc. (COMPTIA - http://www.comptia.org) and the National Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS - http://www.nitas.us); Maritime, Seafarers International Union (http://www.seafarers.org); Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program (GTAP - http://www.geowdc.com), University of Southern Mississippi; and Biotechnology, New Hampshire Community Technical College; Biotechnology, New Hampshire Community Technical College (NHCTC) in alliance with Lonza Biologics Inc. (http://www.biomanufacturing.org, http://biotech.nhctc.edu, and http://www.bio-link.org).
• Apprenticeship The Department of Labor (DOL) Web site provides opportunities for self-assessment (http://www.doleta.gov/jobseekers/assess_yourself.cfm), exploring career options (http://www.doleta.gov/jobseekers/career_options.cfm), training opportunities (http://www.doleta.gov/jobseekers/exp_credentials.cfm), and a job finder (http://www.doleta.gov/jobseekers/find_job.cfm).