White collar apprenticeship program in development to fill in-demand jobs

Listen to this article

A move is underway to fill jobs in high-demand fields in Central Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU), Allegro Learning Solutions and NextGen have teamed up to create apprenticeship programs for IT, cybersecurity and health care roles.

Joel Kline, managing partner, Allegro Learning Solutions, said the entities are working to get compliance completed to start offering the programs which will be run through HU.

NextGen is currently working to find employers interested in participating while Allegro is creating the software and platforms that will allow the programs to run, Kline said.

“The apprenticeship and residency programs are a cornerstone of HU’s innovative Learn, Work, Earn ecosystem,” said A.J. Merlino, associate vice president of Student Professional Development and Experiential Learning and associate professor of Business and Live Entertainment, HU. “This ecosystem is crafted to provide an enhanced learning experience where students can seamlessly blend their academic and professional journeys.”

Residency programs run one to two years, provide 12 or more college credits and are paid, Merlino said. Apprenticeships will run for one to four years, provide up to 50 college credits and are paid.

Kline said NextGen got federal funding to look at ways to improve workforce development in white collar fields and the apprenticeship program will do just that.

“One challenge we see,” he said, “is how to match the programs with what employers are looking for. For this to take traction, we need to determine what the hardest roles to fill are.”

“The alignment of curriculum with industry needs ensures that students are equipped with the relevant and critical skills that are in high demand, making them valuable assets to employers from day one,” Merlino said.

And while the program will help employers fill critical roles, Merlino said it benefits students by allowing them to earn a living wage while learning.

Kline explained that the participating companies will pay for the training while paying a salary. Government grants between $3,000 and $5,000 per apprentice are available to companies for the instruction costs, he said.

“This financial alleviation is crucial in promoting a more inclusive and accessible education landscape,” Merlino said.

The students get college credit through their work experience, allowing them to gain knowledge outside of the traditional classroom setting, he said.

“It underscores our holistic approach to education, valuing practical experience as a vital component of academic progression,” Merlino said. “Conversely, by fostering a direct collaboration between academia and the workplace, employers gain early access to a pool of motivated and industry-ready individuals, significantly reducing the time and resources typically required for onboarding and training.”

Merlino said the residency programs are already operating.

“We are in the process of completing several Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) applications with the commonwealth. Our hope is to keep expanding our residencies while simultaneously pursuing the RAPs,” he said.

Kline said the vision of the apprenticeship program for white collar workers is to combine related training instruction (RTI), which would be provided at HU, with on-the-job learning, which may take place virtually.

“This is fairly new,” he said. “This program is not a guild model where the apprentice is working with a journeyman. However, it is similar, in that the apprentice will work with an experienced person at a company. That can be done virtually.’

The virtual aspect will come from the growth of professional jobs available, Kline said.

“Companies need to wrap their heads around the change from the guild model,” he said. “We at Allegro will provide the technical workforce solutions.”