AHA Supports National Apprenticeship Week

The AHA is proud to support National Apprenticeship Week, November 2-6, sponsored by the Department of Labor (DOL). 

When you hear the word apprentice, you might immediately associate it with construction or another skilled trade.  But today, across the nation, the ApprenticeshipUSA system holds opportunities for training in all fields, including health care, IT, manufacturing, transportation and energy.  The U.S. has about 375,000 apprentices currently, of which 2,426 are in health care.  In 2014, the Administration established a goal of doubling the number of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the next five years in order to help create opportunities for middle class jobs.  The inaugural National Apprenticeship Week is one of several initiatives helping achieve that goal.

Not only is the AHA supporting the DOL’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, but we also salute all hospitals and health care systems who are providing education and training for the next generation of health care employees through apprenticeship-style programs.    This week, look for highlights from hospitals who are celebrating their apprenticeship programs in AHA News Now, AHA News and on our social media.  For those of you interested in more information about the DOL’s program, please visit www.dol.gov/apprenticeship, which includes case studies and an employer toolkit.  And, as always, if you have comments or news to share about your apprenticeship program, please send us an email at workforce@aha.org.