Work-Based Learning

Ryan Wilkins never imagined he could earn a paycheck while still in school, but thanks to a unique apprenticeship program, that’s exactly what he’s doing.

Wilkins, 21, of Chickasha, attends weekday classes at Canadian Valley Technology Center. Four times each week, he leaves class early and drives across town to work.

At Cimarron Trailers, he earns $17.50 an hour designing components for equine and stock trailers, applying the very skills he’s learning in class to real-world projects.

Wilkins and classmate Samuel Crawford are participating in Career Tech certified apprenticeships. These are similar to the U.S. Department of Labor’s registered apprenticeships. Both initiatives connect employers with career seekers.

Wilkins said he had been looking for employment related to his skillset since last spring. He tried college and determined it was not a fit for him.

“I am very excited to be able to finally be in a job that I have been learning for the past year,” he said. “There is still a lot to learn in the industry, so I intend to be a sponge so I can be more proficient and versed in software and professional development.”

Crawford, 22, of Amber, logs 25 hours each week at Cimarron Trailers, though he prefers to go every day. A typical day’s work is turning drawings into new trailer designs, he said.

The apprenticeships could turn into full-time work for both Wilkins and Crawford, though that is dependent on many factors, said CV Tech CADD instructor Corey Ferguson.

Apprenticeships help ease the transition from school to a career. CV Tech began partnering with area businesses to offer registered apprenticeships two years ago. Labor Department data shows 90 percent of students who complete apprenticeships retain employment and earn higher wages when the terms of the apprenticeship are completed.

For Wilkins and Crawford, apprenticeships represent opportunity. As they continue refining their skills at Cimarron Trailers, they are proving that learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. Sometimes, it happens in the workplace, too—one blueprint at a time.

Each November for the past decade, officials at the U.S. Department of Labor have promoted National Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 17-23) to encourage employers to hire students for apprenticeships.

Last year, Canadian Valley Technology Center began forming partnerships with area businesses who agreed to provide paid apprenticeships for several CV Tech students.

Caden Prater, 22, of Yukon, is one of two student apprentices currently working at Security Solutions, of Mustang. Prater works Monday through Wednesday there and goes to class the other two days in at CV Tech’s Precision Machining program at the El Reno Campus.

“I ended up working full-time last summer there,” he said. “I can pretty much work any machine in the shop except the CNCs.”

Security Solutions is among a handful of area employers who now hire CV Tech students as apprentices. The business supplies customers nationwide with locks and keys, electronic access, monitored alarms and video systems. Prater said he earns $15 per hour and works up to 36 hours per week.

A network of over 150,000 employers in more than 1,000 occupations exists. Labor Department data shows 91 percent of apprenticeship graduates retain employment.

Help Wanted

The number of job openings nationwide is roughly 7.4 million, according to a summary released in late October by the Labor Department.

Mike Rowe (of TV show Dirty Jobs fame) works tirelessly to explain why so many jobs in the U.S. remain unfilled. On his foundation website, mikeroweworks.org, Rowe blames the American culture’s apathy toward skilled labor.

“Our society didn’t, and still doesn’t, have a trained workforce standing by or willing to fill the positions that actually exist,” Rowe stated on the website.

A recent Oklahoma Works report entitled “Oklahoma’s Top 100 Critical Occupations List” indicates only a handful of the highest-demand jobs available statewide today require a college degree. In fact, among the top 20 occupations-in-need, just five require a bachelor’s degree.

Oklahoma Works is a partnership between multiple state agencies whose vision is to align resources, education, training and job opportunities to build the state’s workforce.

Highlighting the list of Oklahoma’s high-demand careers are heavy truck drivers, maintenance and repair workers, construction, medical assistants, light truck drivers, sales, practical nurses, medical secretaries, welders and electricians. CV Tech offers training for each of these.

Wholesale change could result from businesses driving more apprenticeships with a “grow your own” mentality of tailoring a student’s skillset to an employer’s needs, said Dr. Don Wilson, CV Tech’s Apprenticeship Coordinator.

Employers interested in beginning an apprenticeship program must first register with the Labor Department. Click here to express interest on the official Apprenticeship website. Employers may also call Wilson for more information at (405) 262-2629.

A growing number of area businesses are participating in a nationally recognized program to benefit students.

Apprenticeships help ease the transition from school to a career by enabling students to learn and work at the same time. This is according to information supplied by the U.S. Department of Labor, which is promoting an employer-driven training model called Apprenticeship USA.

Apprenticeships can be customized to meet the needs of virtually all types of businesses. On-the-job learning and related classroom instruction are key components of the model, which serve to increase an apprentice’s skill level, career opportunities and wages.

Canadian Valley Technology Center began partnering with area businesses to offer students Registered Apprenticeships last year. Currently, students from six full-time programs are participating. All earn a paycheck.

Among the participating businesses is a cozy coffee café on Historic Route 66 in Downtown Yukon.

Vacca Coffeehouse owner Mike Gray said he initially registered for apprenticeships for two CV Tech students. Mason Sershon, 19, of Mustang, is still working there several months later.

“Mason showed a real interest in what we do from the start,” Gray said. “He was one of our main kitchen guys, but we have since trained him to do food prep and plating during weekend rush periods. He’s very meticulous.”

Gray said he believes many employers would benefit by hiring apprentices. He has begun the process of hiring another apprentice. Gray said the extra hands are a big help to his small staff of 11 employees.

The Registered Apprenticeship model mandates paid jobs with promised wage increases as training progresses. Pay varies, based on skills required. Sershon’s hourly pay has increased from minimum wage to $10 per hour. Another partner business, Security Solutions, of Mustang, offers CV Tech apprentices $15 per hour starting pay students because they can operate manual lathes and milling machines.

Upon completion, apprentices receive a nationally recognized credential from the Labor Department as evidence of experience gained in a specific industry.

Others offering Registered Apprenticeships include The Dean McGee Eye Institute, INTEGRIS Health, and Keiser Accounting, of Oklahoma City.

Sershon said he enjoys the work and appreciates earning while learning.

“I make waffles, pastries, sandwiches, salads and parfaits,” he said. “I prepare food and prep the kitchen. I still do dishes when they pile up. For now, this is helping me get more job experience until I find the job where I think I belong.”

Vacca is located within the shops at 10 W. Main. Founded in 2016, Vacca (Italian for “cow”) features signature ice cream that is made onsite in small batches and served semifreddo (Italian for “half frozen”). The process hinders formation of ice crystals and enhances flavor.

Treats include carrot crunch cake, muffins and large cinnamon rolls adorned with thick cream cheese icing and pecans (English for “yum”). Craft coffees include mocha, matcha and macchiato, which are served up alongside other favorites like chai, cocoa and cappuccino. A signature drink is a whipped cream-topped “Vaccacino.”

Apprenticeships have spread rapidly nationwide. There are roughly 600,000 registered apprentices, according to information supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Oklahoma has work to do. The Sooner State lags behind all neighboring states per capita for registered apprenticeships.