Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) Registers First Youth Apprentices with Northside Family RV in Statewide Effort
Modern, recreational vehicles (RVs) are increasingly in high demand – and so are the trained, tech-savvy workers that know how to repair them. Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and Northside Family RV of Lexington have partnered to offer the first new Registered Apprenticeship created through The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Sponsored Apprenticeship Program.
KCTCS and its colleges, through its Economic Development and Workforce Solutions Divisions, now serve as apprenticeship sponsors for employers and industry partners throughout the state of Kentucky. As part of this effort, BCTC has formed a partnership with Northside Family RV to officially register the first cohort of youth apprentices, high school students currently attending Eastside and Southside Technical Centers, part of Fayette County Public Schools.
All Registered Apprentices earn paychecks as they work and learn a skilled trade, while also being enrolled in college. Registered Apprentices can begin as early as high school to get a head start on their careers in high-demand S.T.E.M. fields, working part-time and attending college part-time. Their on-the-job training is supplemented by employer-selected BCTC Dual Credit college courses.
Upon completion of the program, apprentices officially become journey workers, earning an industry certification that is recognized nationally, as well as a solid foundation for an associate degree or diploma.
Over the next four years, the Recreational Vehicle Service Technician Apprentices will work at Northside RV alongside a dedicated mentor, completing on-the-job training while also completing their related technical instruction at BCTC.
Through these apprenticeship partnerships, participating employers gain the full spectrum of Registered Apprenticeship Program benefits while spending less time and fewer financial resources to attract, onboard and retain talent.
BCTC Workforce Solutions services include recruitment, robust mentorship, programming, skill gap analysis, structuring work-based training components to align to industry and company standards, tracking and evaluating program success, and performing administrative services required by the Department of Labor.
Employers interested in developing a pipeline of committed, highly qualified employees as well as interested candidates for apprenticeship should contact Gary Robinson at BCTC Workforce Solutions at gary.robinson@kctcs.edu
High schools interested in offering S.T.E.M. apprenticeship opportunities for their students may contact Kelly Heckman, S.T.E.M. Apprenticeship Director at BCTC at kelly.heckman@kctcs.edu