Low unemployment makes hiring and retaining employees challenging. Apprenticeships may be the solution. Many companies grow their own talent. Midlands Technical College Business Solutions Director Jeremy Catoe calls apprenticeships a “big shift” in job training. Normally, job seekers get the education they need on their own before they begin work. With apprenticeships, companies identify talent, then send them to training. An official apprenticeship is in 3 parts, Catoe said. The Department of Labor requires that apprenticeships include formal education, on-the-job training and a wage increase on completion. This model gains and retains youth, Catoe said. The Millennial generation often is portrayed as feeling entitled to “a raise and a promotion” when they’re hired. This isn’t true, he said. “They want their employers to show them a plan.” They want to see that effort will be rewarded. Apprenticeships provide a “road map” to how they can move up. This motivates them to do better, Catoe said. It also gives companies a leg up in recruiting What’s the pay? A young person will more likely take an apprenticeship that offers a starting wage of $14 an hour that progresses to $17 after 2 years than one that boasts a flat wage of $15 an hour, he said. All 3 parts of an apprenticeship can be completed on the job. Apprentices learn procedures from colleagues on the job. Some companies miss an opportunity by failing to market their apprenticeship programs, Catoe said. For businesses that file their apprenticeship programs, Midlands Technical College has a variety of programs. Apprenticeship options have skyrocketed in the last 4 years, Catoe said. As unemployment dropped, companies realized they needed to do more to attract talent. Manufacturers lead the effort followed by healthcare and IT. “It doesn’t matter if you want to be a tattoo artist or a plumber,” Catoe said, an apprenticeship can help you get there. “It happens a million different ways,” Catoe said. Some employees earn degrees. Others go for certificates. What’s the cost? Midlands Technical College customize workers’ training for the requirements of the employers’ jobs. Paying for it varies. Employers may pay for some or all of the education or reimburse students. Some small companies can’t afford to pay. Catoe said the college has found the “most successful approach” is the company paying in full. Michelin Tire is one that does. Michelin helps its employees earn an Associate in Science. They become certified in the Electronics Engineering Technician program. Other companies need a more specialized certificate program for students. The former TCube Solutions was a “home grown” IT service management company. The college created specific curriculum for its employees. Midlands Technical College does both on-campus and on-site education. Sometimes the formal education can take a few weeks. Other times it can last several years. LTC Health Solutions, a home health care service, was one of the first health care companies to start apprenticeships. They enroll current employees to help in their careers. Through Midlands Tech, LTC has trained accountants, nursing assistants,medical coders and billers. Michelin starts recruiting early. They identify prospective employees in high school. Once the students graduate, Michelin sends them to the technical college to earn a 2-year degree. Despite the differences in apprenticeship programs, there is one similarity. Apprenticeships are developing a workforce at a time when state unemployment is less than 5%.