Can apprenticeships alleviate a regional skills gap? : a case study of programs at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC

Abstract

In attempts to address a skills gap, the state of South Carolina established Apprenticeship Carolina in 2007 which helps businesses create federally registered apprenticeships. Apprenticeship Carolina is a newer addition to the longstanding worker-training programs that make up the South Carolina Technical College System's Division of Economic Development. In the Charleston area, actors in the public and private sectors have partnered with the region's technical college (Trident Technical College or "Trident Tech") and leveraged Apprenticeship Carolina to create robust adult and youth apprenticeship programs in addition to leading other new workforce initiatives. At the same time, the local economy is growing and diversifying rapidly in the fields of advanced manufacturing, information technology, and other STEM-related sectors. This makes Trident Technical College's work in Charleston an attractive case study on apprenticeships as a means for addressing skills gaps. Since 2007, Trident Tech, businesses, and community partners have expanded the number of adult apprenticeships and created a regional youth apprenticeship program where both programs offer positions in career pathways in diverse sectors. This thesis examines what program administrators, community partners, and participating businesses ("sponsors") believe is working well and where there could be improvements.