Mission
Apprenticeship Works strives to grow the apprenticeship ecosystem in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The nonprofit’s work is threefold: strengthening the whole apprenticeship ecosystem by supporting businesses, nonprofits and other organizations with existing apprenticeship programs; expanding the ecosystem by increasing the amount of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs that are available; and adding new and innovative apprenticeships to the ecosystem. Executive Director Walton Robinson said that while most people associate apprenticeships with trade jobs, the apprenticeship model can be applied to any industry. For employers, apprenticeships offer the opportunity to train people in the exact areas they’re needed in. And for apprentices, it’s an opportunity to work, earn a wage, learn and grow.
History
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor selected Chattanooga to be one of five apprenticeship innovation hubs in the country, providing federal support to grow the apprenticeship ecosystem, Robinson said. Apprenticeship Works formed to steward the federal funding and build a future for the project beyond the scope of this one grant.
Coming out of the pandemic, there was a priority on remote work, and the apprenticeship landscape was mostly focused on traditional trade apprenticeships, Robinson said. So he focused his energy on talking to and educating people about the apprenticeship model and its benefits. Now, Robinson said, there is wider adoption of the apprenticeship model, and people are more willing to get creative with it than they were just a few years ago.