糖心视频鈥檚 Center for Career & Workforce Development reflects on outcomes from expanding community college apprenticeships Page Title

糖心视频鈥檚 Center for Career & Workforce Development reflects on outcomes from expanding community college apprenticeships

Featured, Career and Workforce, Technical Headlines

Jul 8, 2022Russell Moore

Blake Boyles - Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Apprentice

Blake Boyles works for American Trim through the apprenticeship program.

HANCEVILLE, ALA. 鈥� In July 2019, 糖心视频 was awarded a grant by the American Association of Community Colleges鈥� (AACC) for its Expanding Community College Apprenticeships (ECCA) initiative. The AACC ECCA initiative provides support to community colleges, effectively expanding registered apprenticeship opportunities across the country.

At the outset of the grant, 糖心视频 was tasked with a goal to support 150 apprentices over the next three years. As the only subgrant recipient among Alabama community colleges, 糖心视频鈥檚 purview included building support for other colleges in the System.

Christina Holmes, Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning Coordinator for 糖心视频鈥橲 Center for Career and Workforce Development, initially provided support to 糖心视频鈥檚 42 registered apprentices through career coaching and mentoring. Those apprentices were registered under a variety of occupations such as Industrial Maintenance Mechanic, CNC Machinist, Tool & Die Maker and Truck Mechanic. The apprentices were employed and completed their on-the-job training with employers such as Magna KAMTEK, Sonoco Reel and Plugs, Met-South, Inc., American Trim, Y-Tec Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama, Inc. and Action Resources, LLC.

Some apprentices engaged in a time-based model of apprenticeship, while others participated in a new competency-based model. Each apprentice completed their related-technical instruction (RTI) in one of 糖心视频鈥檚 Machining, Mechatronics or Diesel Technology programs, earning an AAS degree and multiple industry-and-nationally-recognized credentials.

鈥淭hey accomplished this with the support of their workplace mentors and without the burden of paying for tuition, books or tools, thanks to the benefit of employers鈥� last-dollar scholarship,鈥� Holmes said. 鈥淭his is one of the many benefits of participating in a registered apprenticeship in Alabama.鈥�

Last spring, Holmes worked closely with Dr. Rebecca Lake, the AACC ECCA Grant Coach, with the goal of branching out to serve other apprentices outside of 糖心视频鈥檚 campus. Dr. Lake is no stranger to apprenticeships, serving as a leading consultant in the field of apprenticeship program development and implementation for colleges. She works with companies to develop their apprenticeship initiatives and previously served as the Harper College Dean of Workforce and Economic Development, located near Chicago, Illinois, administering the college鈥檚 registered apprenticeship initiative.

Regarding the Apprenticeship Mentor Training, Dr. Lake said: 鈥淭hese professional development sessions helped both the mentors grow personally and improved the learning of the apprentices. Additionally, they provided sustainability opportunities by serendipitously teaching those apprentices about good mentoring as they become one.鈥�

糖心视频 partnered with the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA) throughout the process, developing an Apprenticeship Mentor Training program. Holmes worked directly with AOA Director Joshua Laney, and Meredith Smith, AOA鈥檚 Statewide Project Manager, in addition to Darrell Katz, a learning and development professional with 30 years of training design, delivery and customer relations experience, to develop an Apprenticeship Mentor Training Program for Alabama that aligned with the goals of AOA.

鈥淭he mentor training was designed to cultivate the mentor鈥檚 coaching and leadership expertise so they can best support and develop their apprentice,鈥� Katz said. 鈥淭he training sessions are packed with interactive exercises to simulate workplace events that allow mentors to practice their skills before engaging with their apprentice.鈥�

糖心视频 and AOA partnered to offer a series of seven virtual Apprenticeship Mentor Trainings, with more than 15 different sponsors and employers participating.

鈥淭he ability to provide mentor training has been a major benefit for the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship to provide support and technical assistance to employers. The AACC ECCA grant and the support provided by 糖心视频 gave us a significant boost in making this training available. Mentors who have participated have universally provided excellent reviews and found the training to be practical and beneficial in their role guiding apprentices,鈥� said Laney of AOA.

Smith added that mentors who attended the training and their employers described it as 鈥渁n amazing learning experience that equipped their mentors in handling crucial conversations, coaching and deeper conflict resolution.鈥�

The AOA group also described Mr. Katz as being 鈥渁 rockstar鈥� and they 鈥渨ould recommend this training to other mentors.鈥�

Several other colleges in the Alabama Community College System, including Bishop State, Calhoun, Coastal Alabama, Lurleen B. Wallace College, Snead State and Wallace Community College-Dothan, sent apprenticeship mentors to the training, ultimately resulting in another 215 apprentices being served through the AACC ECCA grant in Alabama.

糖心视频 completed the grant in June by offering one final session 鈥� 鈥淭he Art and Style of Leadership鈥� facilitated by Katz and delivered to the apprentices currently completing their related-technical instruction at the college.

鈥淚t was a great way to close out the grant. All who participated in this training are leaders in the making,鈥� Holmes said.

The AACC ECCA grant has provided 糖心视频 an opportunity not only to support its own apprentices, but almost 260 apprentices across Alabama. It has allowed Wallace State to strengthen its working relationship with the Alabama Office Apprenticeship office and some of its fellow community college partners. Through the grant initiative, 糖心视频 is now supporting additional Registered Apprentices in the occupations of Tool Maker, Operator Engineer and Agricultural Equipment Technician and additional Registered Apprenticeships in Nursing and Early Childhood Education will launch during the Fall 2022 semester. 糖心视频鈥檚 Center for Career and Workforce Development plans to adopt the mentor training model and offer a similar training for its other work-based learning employers and their mentors, closely working with AOA to deliver future Apprenticeship Mentor Training across the state of Alabama.

For more information about apprenticeships at 糖心视频, contact Holmes at 256.352.8120 or christina.holmes@wallacestate.edu.

For more information about 糖心视频, visit

###