Better apprenticeship programs focus of career training hearing

PROVIDENCE – A U.S. House Career and Technical Education committee field hearing co-hosted by U.S. Rep James R. Langevin and the German Marshall Fund of the United States featured education and workforce development advocates and business representatives from Rhode Island and Germany discussing ways to strengthen apprenticeship programs.

The German Marshall Fund is an organization that strengthens transatlantic cooperation.

The hearing, held Oct. 2, coincided with National Manufacturing Day and was convened by Langevin so that employers and educators could learn from different apprenticeship approaches. German and Swiss education models emphasize employer-educator partnerships, with 60 percent of German students finding careers through apprenticeships, and two-thirds of Swiss students.

“Students are better prepared when they have a range of experiences. Apprenticeships empower young people to take control of their futures and provide the type of hands-on training that ensures we educate the individual as a whole,” Langevin said in a statement.

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“By leveraging resources and strengthening partnerships around the state, country and world, Rhode Island can increase access to these opportunities and improve outcomes for our students. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and in Rhode Island to expand opportunities for students to participate in on-the-job training while at the same time learning in a classroom setting,” Langevin said.

Geraldine Gardner, GMF’s director of urban and regional policy, said her organization is “delighted” to support the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus to find out how the German and Swiss education models can help connect workers with training that links them to high-skill jobs.

Bob Baldwin, past president of the R.I. Homebuilders Association and current chairman of the Construction Workforce Committee, also attended the event.

“As the Rhode Island economy recovers and new development picks up, so grows the demand for highly skilled, well-trained craftsmen. Technical training and apprenticeships are therefore essential, and I appreciate this opportunity to share ideas with educators and employers as to how we can maximize opportunities for young people in Rhode Island,” Baldwin said.

The caucus focused on what employers can do to develop or expand apprenticeship programs, as well as what educators can do to make workforce development programs more attractive to the business community.

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