New Apprenticeship Program to Focus on Advanced IT Skills

The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, in partnership with the Arkansas Apprenticeship Coalition, has launched what it says it the state’s first information technology apprenticeship program in response to a high demand for employees with advanced IT skills.

The program will teach computer coding and other technology-based skills and is funded through the Arkansas Sector Partnership grant recently awarded to ADWS by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The courses will be offered in several specific areas, including operating systems architecture, network security, web page development, java and more, according to Lauren Goins, communications director for the ADWS.

“Not only was this initiative created in response to the needs of employers, it is also being led by employers,” ADWS Director Daryl Bassett said in a news release. “From the beginning, our employer partners have been involved in designing and financing the program to ensure that it meets their needs, and now that the program is being launched, these employers will be the primary source for training the apprentices.”

The Arkansas Sector Partnership is a one-time, non-renewable grant. But if the apprenticeship program is successful, similar programs will be designed and implemented in the future, Goins said.

The length of each program will be determined by the type of credentials the apprentices and employers hope to achieve, but will typically range 18-36 months. 

The program comes amid a bigger, statewide push but the governor to increase IT educational opportunities. Computer systems design and related services is one of the top 10 industries in Arkansas, according to the ADWS. 

The AAC, which has 75 apprenticeship locations and works with more than 2,000 employers across the state, will serve 30 software architect apprentices over the two-year period of the grant. The program is targeted toward people interested in pursuing careers in IT, but eligibility preference will be given to dislocated workers.

AAC is accepting applications for the Little Rock area. People interested in enrolling in the IT apprenticeship program or other apprenticeship programs should contact Breashears at (870) 246-0320 or Karen@NATF.US.