CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina program is combating worker shortages by building up the workforce to help meet the needs of employers. Data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce shows more than 30 million workers have resigned from their jobs this year as of August.

What You Need To Know

  • According to ApprenticeshipNC, any company can start an apprenticeship program

  • There are approximately 12,000 different apprenticeship sponsors across the state

  • There are 10,000 registered apprentices in those programs

Eric Tillmon is the western field supervisor for ApprenticeshipNC. 

“The sense of being able to help people, whether it's the apprentice, whether it's the sponsor, it always gives a feeling of completeness, and that's what drives me. That's what keeps me going. Just seeing those young people completing their apprenticeship programs and starting their careers,” Tillmon said.

He said apprenticeships are important because we are experiencing a worker shortage. He says they help fill the gaps.

“IT, health care, advanced manufacturing and we label these as high-demand occupations because that's where we see the biggest gap between the need and the actual number of employees or people out there to to to fill those jobs,” Tillmon said.

There are approximately 12,000 different apprenticeship sponsors across the state, and within the 58 community colleges there’s about 10,000 registered apprentices in those programs.

“As we look across the landscape, we see a lot of companies who desperately need to employ employees. And apprenticeship is that tool to not only to help find those employees, but then make sure that they're trained, they're highly productive, highly efficient and able to be an asset for those companies,” Tillmon said.

State leaders helped boost the apprenticeship program last year, bringing extra funding to rural areas.

“Though that funding could be used for supplies, equipment, tools, uniforms, those type things. We also can use that funding to help sponsors send their apprentices to school. Remember, there's a an educational aspect that goes with apprenticeship,” Tillmon said.

And the funding also goes to help pay wages for those in the programs for the first year.

“These funding streams are all in an effort to reduce the liability for our sponsors that are out there as they bring on new employees who may need some additional training, who may need to be upskilled,” Tillmon said.

Tillmon says apprenticeships help boost the economy, providing employers with highly productive, highly skilled and highly trained employees from these programs.

According to ApprenticeshipNC any company can start an apprenticeship program, and it’s not just for the trades but for any occupation.

If you would like to an apprenticeship program you can reach out to an ApprenticeshipNC consultant in your area.