Marion Technical College is working in partnership with the Marion County Building Industry Association to develop a Carpentry Apprenticeship program for Marion and surrounding counties. The local need for carpenters has grown significantly due to the improvements in the economy.
The Carpentry Apprenticeship program is a four – year apprenticeship that includes full-time employment for the apprentices along with classes throughout the term of the program. The apprentices are employed 40 hours per week with a local company, and attend classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings for a total of 6 hours a week and last 9 months each year of the program. The program will begin in January 2021.
The advantage of an apprenticeship is that students are employed full-time during the program, and earn a standard wage based on apprenticeship terms. Classes are only 6 hours per week, and allow students to learn about the jobs they are performing. During classes, students are able to address any task-related issues that they are facing on the job.
This allows the students to practice their trade while learning how to become top-notch carpenters. Newcomers to the field of carpentry may be expected to work for a contractor prior to entering the apprenticeship program. It is the contractor’s discretion to enroll an employee in the apprenticeship program.
