Indianapolis-Area Apprenticeship Program Begins As The Trend Gathers Steam

More than two dozen high schoolers in central Indiana are committing to a new two- to three-year paid apprenticeship program called the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP). It’s part of a nationally growing trend to give kids real-world career training and get them into the workforce. 

The students will be placed at 16 companies around Indianapolis – several of them with the workforce groups who designed the program, including local workforce board EmployIndy. Starting their junior year, students will spend part of each week in the classroom and the rest at the workplace. Along the way, they can get high school and college credits.

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PJ McGrew, Governor’s Workforce Cabinet executive director, said it’s good for students because it shows them how their education is relevant in industry settings. But it’s also great for attracting companies looking for trained workers.

“For the state, it allows us to continue to support expansion efforts for our companies because we’re building the talent pool they need to recruit from and to also recruit new businesses from outside our state to grow our economy,” McGrew said. 

After a brief training, the high school sophomores will start work at their companies this summer.

It's the second apprenticeship program of it's kind in Indiana after CareerWise Elkhart County began about two years ago.

Contact reporter Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.