Committee reviews expansion of registered apprenticeships and pre‑apprenticeship pathways
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Summary
The Youth Empowerment Committee heard local workforce leaders describe registered apprenticeship benefits, recruitment tactics and how pre‑apprenticeships can shorten training time; members emphasized transportation and school partnerships as priorities for 16–24-year-olds.
The Youth Empowerment Committee on Feb. 25 heard presentations on growing registered apprenticeships and pre‑apprenticeship pathways aimed at connecting students aged 16–24 to in‑demand careers.
Doreen Lund, apprenticeship manager at CareerSource Northeast Florida, told the committee that apprenticeships are an “earn as you learn” model in which participants are employees from day one, receive classroom and on‑the‑job training, and earn nationally recognized credentials when they complete registered programs. Lund said Florida has thousands of apprentices and participating employers and cited a national goal—to reach 1,000,000 apprentices—as part of efforts to scale programs.
Lund distinguished registered pre‑apprenticeship programs (state‑registered pathways that can provide credit toward a registered apprenticeship) from non‑registered occupational prep programs. She urged program planners to confirm whether local registered apprenticeship slots exist for graduates to move into, to align curriculum to industry standards (for example, OSHA or NCCER credentials), and to standardize short, recognizable certifications that help employers evaluate applicants.
In response to committee questions, Lund described CareerSource’s outreach and recruitment work: apprenticeship navigators who attend high‑school job fairs and construction career days, curated lists of opportunities shared with students and families, video interviews with current apprentices, and partner outreach to parents. She said events drawing thousands of students give youth hands‑on exposure—such as operating equipment—to raise interest.
Danny Masickel, director of the Electrical Training Alliance in Jacksonville, described a six‑month registered pre‑apprenticeship that pairs one night a week of classroom instruction with about 1,000 hours of on‑the‑job training. He said that pre‑apprenticeship participants who rank highly in interviews may be placed directly into the second year of the ETA’s four‑year program, shortening overall time to completion and reducing entrance‑barrier risk for younger participants.
Committee members prioritized two implementation issues. Several members stressed transportation as a barrier, noting that some youth face multi‑hour commutes on public transit routes; committee members asked staff to continue conversations with the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and school partners. Members also highlighted schools as a launchpad for recruiting students and for embedding curriculum credit that can accelerate apprenticeship progress.
The committee did not take formal action on a motion or vote during the session. Chair comments and speakers referenced prior city support for pre‑apprenticeship programs; public commenters representing apprenticeship associations urged the council to continue setting aspirational apprentice participation goals on city‑funded projects.
The committee adjourned and expects follow‑up discussions about funding allocations and program coordination at a future meeting.