Energizing Apprenticeships: Celebrating Employers and Expanding Opportunity

Please join area Chambers of Commerce, Workforce Development Boards and the Dan River Region Collaborative as we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week.

This event will feature a presentation by Tammy Simmons, Vice President of Human Resources with Machine Specialties, Inc. (NC), who will share information about their successful Apprenticeship Program that recruits high school students into manufacturing.  Attendees will also hear from Wendell Walker, Apprenticeship Representative with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, who will share information on current efforts to expand apprenticeship across Virginia.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship has dramatically impacted the lives, careers and opportunities for millions of workers, and more than 150,000 businesses over the last 80 years, from careers in healthcare, energy and IT, to manufacturing, transportation and more.
Apprenticeship helps companies develop a world-class, customized training model that combines work-based learning with related classroom instruction using the highest industry standards. The benefits are substantial - companies that offer Apprenticeship Programs can diversify their workforce, improve productivity and profitability, standardize training, and reduce turnover. There is funding available to support employers interested in offering apprenticeships.