Wayne County Community College District chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery has been named a member of a national task force that is a part of the Expanding Community College Apprenticeships initiative, launched by the American Association of Community Colleges and the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Task Force on Community College Apprenticeship focuses on helping train 16,000 apprentices across 80 U.S. colleges over the course of three years. The initiative aims to collaborate with large businesses from the private sector to establish new apprenticeship models, or expand current programs to train 4,000 apprentices over the same time period.
Dr. Curtis L. IveryThe task force will locate, certify and promote successful apprenticeship models and work-based learning programs that can be quickly made into full programs across regions and sectors. The Task Force on Community College Apprenticeship will also possible serve as incubators for testing metrics, models and programs.
Apprenticeships are different from other types of workplace educational programs as they provide customized, interactive training tailored to the specific needs of industry and business. Typically, apprenticeships result in increased knowledge, combining classroom and workplace learning, a safer workplace and greater employee retention.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, around 91 percent of apprentices that complete an apprenticeship program are still employed and have little to no educational debt nine months after completing the program.
“I am honored to be appointed to a task force that is focused on expanding access to vital workplace education and creating tens of thousands of rewarding jobs across the nation,” Ivery said. “Our mission has always been to help people create better lives through higher education – this program fits well within that mission, and promises to help provide a highly skilled workforce for our region.”
Wayne County Community College District has established over 120 workforce development, career and academic programs under Ivery’s leadership that help train workers for new careers in emerging industries.
