(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the District of Columbia and the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) kicked off a week-long celebration as part of Washington, D.C. Apprenticeship Week, celebrated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, training workers for good-paying, highly-skilled, in-demand careers. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation to officially mark November 15-21, 2021 as “Washington, DC Apprenticeship Week.”
“Apprenticeships started in the building and construction trades, which have seen amazing success using this workforce development model,” said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. “Over the past several years, DOES and the Apprenticeship Council have worked to help expand this model to non-traditional apprenticeship career paths, including information technology, healthcare, and hospitality. We are proud to ensure Washingtonians have access to high quality job training for the good paying careers of the future.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of apprenticeships in the District of Columbia. The Department of Employment Services maintains a list of dozens of registered apprenticeship sponsor programs and supports the DC Apprenticeship Council, which oversees apprenticeship programs, conducts compliance reviews, and promotes the apprenticeship system to new industries.
DC residents interested in learning more about apprenticeships can visit Advantages of Registered Apprenticeship. Employers who would like to sponsor apprentices can visit Advantages of Registered Apprenticeship for Employers.