- Roanoke County Public Schools
- Student Registered Apprenticeship Program
- Businesses Seeking Apprentices for the 2023-24 School Year
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2023 Student Registered Apprenticeship Showcase
The 2023 Apprenticeship Showcase was a huge success!
If you missed the event, it is not too late to sign up if you are still interested in becoming a Registered Apprentice.
Businesses interested in participating in the Student Registered Apprenticeship Program - Click Here
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List of Businesses Seeking Student Apprentices for the 2023-2024 School Year
* - denotes businesses that are scheduled to attend the 2023 Student Registered Apprenticeship Showcase
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Balzer and Associates *
Balzer and Associates is a design and architecture firm based in Roanoke. Balzer and Associates is looking for apprentice-ship candidates interested in learning about surveying and related fields.
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First Four Petroleum Group*
First Four Petroleum Group, LLC is a Class A Contractor located in Roanoke, VA, specializing in meeting service station needs. They serve as the Wayne Authorized Service Contractor for the Southwest Virginia region as well as a Verifone Authorized Service Contractor. Their service department serves Southern, Western, and Central Virginia as well as Eastern West Virginia. First Four is seeking apprentices in the Electrical, Fuel System Technician and Fuel Systems Construction fields.
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G&H Contracting*
G & H Contracting, Inc. was established in 1989 by Sheldon Henderson in Salem, VA and has remained a family-owned and operated Class A construction company. Today, the leadership and vision has grown the company from concrete placement to full-service completion of construction projects in excess of $30 million. G & H Contracting is seeking apprentices in the construction field.
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GJ Hopkins*
G.J. Hopkins, Inc. is a Roanoke, Virginia based mechanical and electrical contracting business for the commercial market. Part of the Branch Group, GJ Hopkins is looking for apprentices in the mechanical and electrical fields.
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Henritze Dental Group*
From the moment you walk through our doors, we do our best to help you feel comfortable and at ease. Offering comprehensive dental care since 1997, our team is here for you and your entire family. We enjoy caring for patients of all ages. Our skilled dentists offer a wide variety of dental services, ranging from simple dental cleanings and exams to more complex treatments like root canal therapy. We provide both restorative and cosmetic dentistry to ensure that we can meet all of your personal dental needs for a smile that is healthy and beautiful for life. When you are here, your health and comfort are always our top priorities. The Henritze Dental Group is seeking apprentices in the field of Dental Assisting.
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Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center*
Built in 1882, the Tudor-style Hotel Roanoke is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a member of the International Association of Conference Centers. Hotel Roanoke carefully preserves the past with touches such as an antique-filled lobby, original Czech-made chandeliers, a restored Regency Room (home of our signature Peanut Soup), Pine Room (formerly an Officers' Club in World War II), and the Palm Court, the original ceiling of which was painted to show the constellations as they appeared in the skies the day the first train came to Roanoke in 1852. Simultaneously, the Hotel Roanoke embraced the future by building a 63,000 square-foot meeting space, featuring state-of-the-art technology and accommodating more than 1,200 people, evolving into the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. The Hotel Roanoke is seeking apprentices in the culinary field.
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Integer*
Integer is a global leader in the design and development of medical devices and power solutions for the medical and non-medical markets. Integer is looking for apprentices in the machining field.
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Lawrence Companies*
Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, Lawrence Companies is a 100% employee-owned business with four primary divisions: Household Goods Moving and Storage, Truckload and Flatbed Freight, CASE Equipment, and Custom Truck Service Bodies. In addition to the Roanoke location, there are branches in Lynchburg, Richmond, Suffolk, Fishersville and Waynesboro, Virginia as well as Greensboro, North Carolina. Lawrence is seeking apprentices in the fields of Diesel Mechanics, Autobody Repair, Upfitting and Trailer Repair.
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Medeco*
For almost 50 years, Medeco has led the security industry in innovation and quality, guarding lives and assets at facilities worldwide. Medeco is seeking apprentices in the field of machining and tool/die making as well as in the Quality Department.
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Mersen*
Mersen designs and manufactures corrosion resistant and process equipment in a wide range of materials. With more than 50 years of thermal and mechanical design experience, Mersen equipment is engineered for reliability and performance. Mersen is seeking apprentices in the manufacturing field.
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Optical Cable Corp.*
Optical Cable Corporation (OCC) is a leading manufacturer of a broad range of fiber optic and copper data communications cabling and connectivity solutions. Since 1983, the products we design and manufacture are forever changing the way the world communicates. Our customers and end-users depend on our products to ensure critical data can be transmitted reliably and timely, in a vast number of industries and applications. Our high-bandwidth cables transmit data, video and audio over distances of up to 10 miles. We provide a wide-range of industry solutions including Data Centers, Enterprise (Hospitals, Office Buildings, Stadiums, etc…), Industrial, Broadcast, Security and Monitoring, Oil & Gas, Military, Mining and Transportation.OCC is seeking apprentices in the areas of maintenance and cable operation.
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Salem City Water Department*
The City of Salem Water and Sewer Department's mission is to provide a high level of customer satisfaction by providing reliable, high quality water and sewer service in an efficient, cost effective and environmentally sensitive manner.They are seeking apprentices in the water treatment and distrubution fields.
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ServPro*
SERVPRO of Roanoke exists to provide outstanding service to our customers who have suffered through a challenging life event. We want to care for our customers unobtrusively and professionally during these challenging times. SERVPRO also exists to grow and develop others in order to strengthen and brighten their future. Our job is to assist in putting people's lives back to normal following fire or water disasters and make it like it never even happened. ServPro is seeking Restoration Technician Apprentices.
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Southern Trust Home Services*
Southern Trust Home Services works hard every day to make sure that their experts stay current with new technologies and techniques for fast, reliable service and installation of their customers’ home equipment. They are looking for apprentices that are interested in the fields of plumbing and electric.
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Varney Inc.*
Varney is a quality industrial and commercial electrical contractor with a reputation for delivering unmatched value. For more than sixty years the Varney Team has been delivering professional solutions including electrical installation and repair, HVAC, Plumbing, and Integrated System services to Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region. Based in Roanoke, VA and serving cities throughout Virginia such as Richmond, Alexandria, Norfolk, and beyond.
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Wabtec Graham White*
Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for freight and transit rail. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation and Faiveley Transport, the company has unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems. Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress, creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. Wabtec has approximately 27,000 employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit the company’s new website at: http://www.WabtecCorp.com.
It’s not just about your career… or your job title…it’s about who you are and the impact you are going to make on the world. Do you want to go into uncharted waters…do things that haven’t been done to make yours and someone else's life better? Wabtec has been doing that for decades and we will continue to do so! Through our people, leadership development, services, technology and scale, Wabtec delivers better outcomes for global customers by speaking the language of industry.Graham-White has managers that started as apprentices from Roanoke County Schools and is looking for additional apprentices in the Machining field.
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Western Virginia Water Authority*
The Western Virginia Water Authority was formed on July 1, 2004 when the water and wastewater operations of the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County consolidated. Five years later, on November 24, 2009, Franklin County officially joined the Western Virginia Water Authority and Botetourt County joined on July 1, 2015. The Town of Boones Mill's utility system was acquired in December 2021, and on July 1, 2022, the Authority acquired the Town of Vinton's water and wastewater systems. The Authority now provides water service to over 69,000 customer accounts and wastewater service for more than 60,000 accounts in the City of Roanoke, the Counties of Roanoke, Franklin and Botetourt and the Towns of Boones Mill and Vinton. WVWA is seeking apprentice-ship candidates interested in working in the clean water and waste water sectors of the company.
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The Registered Apprenticeship program was designed in the 1930’s by the Roosevelt administration. Originally designed as an adult job preparation program, it has expanded over the years to encompass over 1,300 jobs in a variety of businesses and industries and the Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program. Managed by the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) in Virginia, the RA program offers a unique work-based learning model for 16-18 year old students. Student participants in the RA program work towards credentials associated with each business through employment training and instruction. This is not an internship – apprentices are employed by the company. Once the student completes the program, they are eligible for a Journeyman’s license. This license is a portable and widely recognized credential that indicates the student has relevant training and is on the path to becoming a master in their industry.
- Student apprentices work approximately 20 hours per week.
- Most RA positions require a minimum of 2000 on the job hours and 144 hours per year of industry-related instruction.
- After high school graduation, the hours accumulated as a student apprentice transfer directly to the adult apprenticeship program.
- Students receive school credit for their apprenticeship.
- Student schedules will be arranged in a manner agreed upon by the student, parent, school system, and employer.
- The Virginia Dept. of Education (VDOE) has developed guidelines for work-based learning (WBL) that is followed by the school system.
FAQs
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Why Registered Apprenticeship (RA)?
Posted by:If you are interested in applying what you are learning in high school, earning money and becoming a highly-skilled and credentialed employee soon out of high school, you can apply to be an apprentice. In many cases the companies for which you work will help you pursue furthering your education which means minimizing student debt for you and your family
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Who can Participate?
Posted by:Students aged 16 and up. Student must be 16 by the start-date of their apprenticeship
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What if I am not 16 years old?
Posted by:Speak with school counselor about courses to schedule in a career pathway to prepare you for the Apprenticeship Program
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What does Registered Apprenticeship involve?
Posted by:A commitment to maintaining good grades in school and working part-time at the business under specific VDOLI regulated conditions toward becoming a highly-trained and credentialed employee of said business
The process of being selected includes (not limited to) students being screened by your school division personnel to ensure graduation requirements can be met and an interview by the business
Time may be spent at the industry site during at least part of the school day
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Where can I find more information?
Posted by:Please contact your school’s counseling department and/or via your school division’s CTE office.
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When should I begin the Process?
Posted by:Expressing interest in the RA process should begin with normal course registration via school counselors in the year prior to the beginning of the desired apprenticeship
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School Contact Information:
Roanoke City Public Schools
Jess Truax - Work-Based Learning Coordinator
Phone – 540-853-6303
Email: jtruax@rcps.infoRoanoke County Public Schools
Mark Jones – Supervisor of Career & Technical Education
Phone – 540-562-3900 ext 10332
Email: mcjones@rcps.usJason Suhr – CTE Director
Phone – 540-562-3900 ext 10331
Email: jsuhr@rcps.usSalem City Schools
Jamie Soltis-Assistant Superintendent
Phone – 540-389-0130
Email: jsoltis@salem.k12.va.us