National Apprenticeship Week 2021

Minnesota highlights the importance of becoming registered apprentices during the National Apprenticeship Week.

Apprentices in various trades go through proper training before becoming full-fledged professionals in construction, electrical, and many other sectors. In 2020, more than 600,000 active apprentices went through training, with around 80,000 completing the apprenticeship. There has already been a 70% growth in new apprentices from 2011 to 2020. And to encourage more apprentices, the National Apprenticeship Week unites the community and connects apprentices, contractors, and government agencies.

7th Annual National Apprenticeship Week

From November 15 to 21, 2021, various labor groups, training institutions, government agencies, and private entities will celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (NAW). Several states in the U.S. will hold discussions on training, advantages of registered apprenticeship, and workforce challenges.

This event aims to engage those involved in apprenticeship for the trades, including students and contractors. Spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Apprenticeship Week has been celebrating the vital role of workers in building the economy since its inception in 2015. In Minnesota alone, more than 100 apprenticeship programs are available to train workers with the necessary skills.

The National Apprenticeship Week provides interested students the opportunity to discover more about available training programs and connect them to hiring firms. Government organizations will have the chance to attract more students to be registered apprentices in various JATC organizations. The event is also the time where private contractors showcase their firms to attract talent.

What To Expect During the Week

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is lining up events over the week to celebrate the National Apprenticeship Week. Some of these events will be held via remote meeting platform Webex to facilitate virtual forums and presentations. Others will have limited in-person interactions. Here are the key events to look forward to:

November 16, 2021

2 p.m. to  3 p.m. – Twin Cities Metro Region Virtual Registered Apprenticeship Panel

Kicking off the weeklong event is a panel to discuss the benefits of registered apprenticeship to find and retain skilled workers.

3 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Interactive Virtual Career Fair

A career fair follows the event shortly to connect interested apprentices to contractors looking for talent.

November 17, 2021

9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Construct Tomorrow, Mankato

The Construct Tomorrow event will be held in Mankato City. High school students and educators can gain expert advice from trade professionals and apprentices.

November 18, 2021

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Registered Apprenticeship Virtual Panel Discussion for School Counselors and Educators

Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council will discuss registered apprenticeship and its career advantages. And to foster more women to enter the trades, the Women Building Success will hold a virtual demonstration and showcase tradeswomen apprentices.

2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. – Registered Apprenticeship and Veterans Resources Panel Discussion

Apprenticeship Minnesota coordinates with several government agencies and trade sector veterans for a meaningful panel discussion.

November 19, 2021

9 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Ramsey County Green Jobs Green Futures Virtual Summit

Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul will present this career fair highlighting job opportunities in green energy in the area.

10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Registered Apprenticeship Panel

A 30-minute panel discussion will happen to be facilitated by registered apprenticeship representatives.

Electrical Apprenticeship in Minnesota

Are you interested in joining a fulfilling career as an electrician? Power Partner MN offers apprenticeship programs in Central and Southern Minnesota.

Power Partner MN helps aspiring apprentices to become licensed electrical journeymen. Apprentices can expect a thorough learning process from South Central JATC (run by IBEW 343) and Minneapolis JATC (run by IBEW 292) training programs. Additionally, Power Partner MN has a network of reputable contractors that apprentices can learn from via hands-on training. What does the entire electrical apprenticeship cover? Here’s a brief overview.

Classroom education

Minnesota requires a total of 144 hours of classroom training for electrical apprentices. Interested apprentices will have adequate knowledge to become full-fledged electricians from electrical basics, wiring, installations, and safety procedures. Professional instructors will impart the necessary information one has to learn in the electrical trades. 

On-the-job training

An apprentice will need to finish 48 months or 8,000 hours of supervised work with a licensed electrician before getting a license. Hands-on training will equip apprentices with the background and experience as they work on electrical projects. They will be assigned a reputable contractor to work with, so they can apply what they’ve learned in an actual demonstration.

Finishing an apprenticeship

The apprenticeship culminates in aspiring students becoming journeymen electricians. This will then be the time to process their license through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

Head on to the apprentices section of Power Partner MN to learn more about their programs to become a licensed electrician.