As the job market needs change, many students are looking to learn a skilled trade after high school. Whether at a trade, vocational, tech school, certificate or credentialling programs, or apprenticeship, families are exploring all their children’s career training options. Many want to learn more specifically about apprenticeships as a huge benefit of one is that your student can learn much needed job training while getting paid.
This is one of the many reasons that April 26 – May 2 is commemorated as National Apprenticeship Week. The nationwide celebration highlights the importance of these skilled career pathways not only for students, but for creating a skilled workforce to support critical infrastructure of today’s world. This year’s theme is “America at Work: Making America Skilled Again Through Registered Apprenticeship.”
ApprenticeOhio
The State of Ohio wants to help interested students find their perfect apprenticeship opportunity. ApprenticeOhio has an interactive map and database of apprenticeship opportunities available throughout Ohio. There are 480 active sponsors and 369 active apprenticeship occupations to search through.
If your child is also interested in earning an associate degree, there are apprenticeship programs where participants earn credit towards an associate of technical studies degree through Apprenticeship Pathways. ODHE links apprenticeship programs with local two-year community colleges so participants can also earn a technical associate’s degree. Recent apprenticeship expansion grants have also increased the number of available apprenticeship programs at Ohio community college campuses.
Apprenticeships and Ohio 529
If you have been saving for your child’s education after high school in Ohio 529, then you can use those funds to cover their qualified expenses at trade, vocational, tech school, certificate or credentialling programs, as well as apprenticeships.
To use your 529 savings for qualified apprenticeship costs, it must be registered with the Secretary of Labor’s National Apprenticeships Act. Check the U.S. Labor Department’s search tool to confirm that an apprentice program is eligible.
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