CareerWise Colorado, a youth apprenticeship nonprofit at the intersection of education and industry, today celebrates its second completed cohort of apprentices.
The CareerWise youth apprenticeship model creates a framework for employers to hire students beginning in high school to work alongside seasoned professionals doing meaningful work. Over the course of multiple years, apprentices are prepared to step into entry-level positions in high-growth, high-wage careers.
“Today we honor our apprentices who have become young professionals,” said Meaghan Sullivan, CareerWise’s chief program officer. “Apprenticeship is always rigorous—students are in the classroom and working in fields like financial services, health care and IT. But we’re especially proud of this cohort’s resiliency and adaptability through the pandemic.”
During the pandemic, 67 percent of CareerWise’s youth apprentices remained at work in virtual or modified-for-safety environments.
“It was never a question if we would keep our apprentices on the job, even as unemployment skyrocketed all around us,” said Jim Kepler, president of Intertech Plastics, a youth apprentice employer. “Apprenticeship is both a long- and short-term strategy for Intertech. It creates a pipeline of the diverse talent we’ll need to remain competitive in the future and helps us build capacity and an inclusive culture of mentorship today.”
CareerWise connects employers with applicants on its hiring hub and employers interview applicants through a competitive process as with any other employees. CareerWise’s platform delivers performance and account management for employers, apprentices and educators, as well as training for supervisors and apprentices.
“My CareerWise apprenticeship enabled me to start working with a Fortune 500 Company when I was 16,” said Victoria Long. Long apprenticed with Arrow Electronics in the business operations pathway. “Not only did I learn valuable business skills, I grew a really strong professional network and learned how to be a professional way before my peers have.”
CareerWise is talking to employers now who may be interested in hiring apprentices this fall. For more information, contact Diedra Espinoza at diedra.espinoza@careerwisecolorado.org.
Media Contact:
Interviews with apprentices and employers, photography and b-roll available upon request.
Jason Jansky, CareerWise
(303) 748-3300
jason.jansky@careerwiseusa.org