FAQs

Determining which direction to take your career is a major decision. Pursuing a registered apprenticeship program can be a great way to start a career in a new industry for recent graduates or those transitioning from various life stages or careers!

• Earn while you learn and have a with an increasing wage during the apprenticeship.
• Develop new skills in an in-demand field.
• Receive the investment and commitment of your employers to ensure your personal and professional growth.
• Be supported by a mentor who is an expert in your chosen field.
• Begin a long-term career with little or no college debt.
• Earn a nationally-recognized apprenticeship certificate from the Department of Labor.

Registered apprenticeship is an industry-driven talent development strategy that combines on-the-job experience with formal classroom learning. Registered apprenticeships are collaboratively developed and deployed through partnerships between employers, training and education providers, and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and are approved and registered by the U.S. DOL to ensure that programs are high-quality and high-value for apprentices and employers.

Though apprenticeship is traditionally associated with skilled trades and manufacturing, registered apprenticeship opportunities are available in a variety of industries! From manufacturing and trades to IT and healthcare, learn more about how to find apprenticeship opportunities here!

Learn more about how to become an apprentice here!

BECOMING AN APPRENTICE

Registered apprenticeship is an industry-driven talent development strategy that combines on-the-job experience with formal classroom learning. Registered apprenticeships are collaboratively developed and deployed through partnerships between employers, training and education providers, and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and are approved and registered by the U.S. DOL to ensure that programs are high-quality and high-value for apprentices and employers.

Through registered apprenticeship, your company will:

• Develop a highly-skilled workforce.
• Reduce turnover and foster loyalty among employees.
• Create customized, flexible training solutions to meet your needs.
• Build a sustainable, long-term talent pipeline for your workforce.
• Be considered for funding opportunities tied to apprenticeship.
• When employers establish a registered apprenticeship program, they develop a world-class workforce, enhance their bottom line, and build for the future.

Though apprenticeship is traditionally associated with skilled trades and manufacturing, registered apprenticeship programs are, or can be, established in nearly any industry! Emerging apprenticeship industries, like healthcare, IT, and energy are helping to broaden how employers and workers in the U.S. understand apprentices.

There are currently over 1,400 occupations recognized as “apprenticeable” by the DOL — see the full list here.

A U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) registered apprenticeship program is a structured, high-quality training model that combines paid on-the-job experience with classroom instruction to develop skilled workers for in-demand occupations. Apprentices earn a progressively increasing wage as their skills improve and a nationally recognized and portable credential upon completion.

Benefits for employers:

• A way to develop a highly skilled and dedicated workforce.
• Reduced turnover rates and recruitment costs.
• Increased productivity and a standardized training system. 
• The average return on investment (ROI) for apprenticeships in Michigan is around $1.47 for every $1 invested.

Benefits for apprentices:

• The opportunity to learn a new, high-skill career without accumulating college debt.
• A pathway to good-paying jobs in growing industries like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, IT, and clean energy.
• The ability to earn wages while training. 

The Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN) is a non-profit consortium of community colleges and Michigan Works! agencies, providing crucial labor market data, training facilitation, and strategic support to align education with employer needs, especially in high-demand sectors like advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, IT, healthcare, green energy, transportation, distribution and logistics, and skilled trades. WIN serves a 19-county region in Southeast Michigan and beyond to build a stronger talent pipeline.

The WIN Apprenticeship Intermediary is customized to meet each small, mid-sized, and large employer “where they are at”. This includes creating on-the-job training plans (work process schedules), working with educational partners to develop relevant educational outlines, such as related technical instruction (RTI), and suggested wage scales using Labor Market Data.

WIN convenes the Advance Michigan Center for Apprenticeship Innovation (AMCAI) hub at MiApprenticeship.org, the Michigan Alliance for Greater Mobility Advancement (MAGMA) on MiAutomobility.org, and Michigan’s Health Career Alliance (HCA) while cultivating a comprehensive and cohesive talent system to ensure employers’ success.

A Registered Apprenticeship Group Sponsor/Intermediary is the go-between of the employer and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (USDOL OA). Using an intermediary lowers the barrier to entry for employers who don't have resources for full program development, as the sponsor handles registration and compliance.

WIN has 50+ occupations under our standards, making registration for employers a breeze.

We handle the administrative burden of file management, registration, oversight and tracking for you.

As your sponsor, the USDOL OA will audit us instead of you.

Get in touch with the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN) Mi Apprenticeship team or one of our partners, and to get started! See the contact list here. Or contact us using the form below. 
CONTACT US TODAY!