Apprenticeship is a talent development strategy that combines on-the-job learning (OJL), related technical instruction (RTI), and mentorship to train individuals to be experts in their field. Apprentices often start an apprenticeship with little or no experience in their chosen apprentice occupation.
Registered Apprenticeships are apprenticeship programs that are well-defined and documented, and are approved by the US Department of Labor (DOL). The DOL has been overseeing and registering apprentices in the US for nearly a hundred years. Registered Apprenticeships are employer-driven and sponsored. A company sponsoring a Registered Apprenticeship Program determines whom they will employ, and apprentice.
Yes! Apprenticeship is an “earn and learn” model – apprentices start working and earning wages from the first day on the job. Apprentices obtain paid, on-the-job learning (OJL), related technical instruction, and a DOL certificate of completion or journeyperson card, both which are a nationally-recognized, portable credential demonstrating an apprentice's mastery of chosen occupation that is widely understood in business and industry.
Depending on the occupation, Registered Apprenticeships lasts from one to six years. For each year of the registered apprenticeship, the apprentice typically receives 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning (OJL) and 144 hours of related technical instruction (RTI) in college classes.
Oakland Community College (OCC) offers the related technical instruction (RTI), educational opportunities along with assistance to both companies who are sponsoring an apprenticeship program, and employees who are sponsored apprentices across various industries. The employer-sponsored college classes taken by the apprentice, align with on-the-learning (OJL) provided by the employer, to ensure the employee makes connections between the classroom and the workplace.
Apprentice occupations are available in numerous advanced manufacturing occupations and allied healthcare programs at OCC.
OCC in cooperation with local employers, offers the required related technical instruction (RTI) for apprentices, advises and approves the apprentices sequence of courses to ensure compliance with apprenticeship standards for the occupation and company. Upon completion of a defined apprenticeship program, apprentices are encouraged to apply for certificates and degrees from OCC. Please note, employee-in-training (EIT) programs (non-apprentice) are also available for employers.
To aid employers in planning the sequence of courses for their Apprenticeship program, there are curricular outlines for the following apprentice occupations:
Oakland Community College
2900 Featherstone Rd
Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2845
Phone 248.232.4141
