Michigan Works! highlight local employer apprenticeship programs

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- It’s National Apprenticeship Week and Michigan Works! has collaborated with employers to highlight employees that are dedicated to their craft.

They aim to make the Michigan workforce stronger by providing workers on-the-job training to develop and retain talent in a creative way.

Apprenticeship programs are essential to reshaping the workforce. There’s a 94 percent retention rate that has been reported by the U.S. Department of Labor

Mark O’Reily, Director of Business Solutions at Michigan Works!, supports the vision of these programs that can range anywhere from 1-4 year programs to give apprentices real world experience and the chance for a significant pay increase.

“We would celebrate them all if we could but they all will finish at different times. But we would encourage people to stick at it, we know how hard it is, but the rewards at the end of an apprenticeship program are very beneficial,” said O’Reily

Each employer can nominate candidates to be judged on their quality, commitment, and teamwork to be recognized as those that are dedicated to bettering themselves and their employers during a week dedicated for them.

C&S Machine is a local apprenticeship that was selected to be highlighted. Their apprentice has proven that their program is successful and a model that can be used to develop talent.

Their apprentices rotate every six months after their vetting princess to see what department they benefit the most. No money is required, they just require a time commitment to invest in yourself.

Each apprentice selected will see a pay increase between $18-24 an hour after completing the program.

Shaun Phy, President of C&S Machine, mentions what quality traits he sees in the apprentice that they are celebrating this week.

“This is a career path for them, and I just look at a lot of the veterans that I have in my business that are journeymen, and they have been in the walls of C&S for 30 plus years and I think that this candidate exhibits those character traits.”

Michigan Works! will work alongside employers like C&S Machine to highlight the five apprentices on their social media all week long.