The Department of Workforce Services in Taylorsville is pictured on Thursday, April 15, 2021. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Workforce Services is set to hold its first apprenticeship summit and job fair next week in honor of National Apprenticeship Week.
The apprenticeship summit takes place on Nov. 15, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Anyone wanting to go attend must register for the summit online by end of the day Thursday.
A corresponding job fair takes place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. that same day. The job fair is open to anyone and does not require registration.
Both events take place at the Weber State Davis campus in Layton, Utah.
Utah Commissioner of Apprenticeship Programs Melisa Stark said during these times of worker shortages, there are 3 open jobs for every person in Utah, with a state unemployment rate of about 2%.
Stark said it’s the perfect time for apprentices to get trained on a skill that allows flexibility in job choices, instead of locking in one specific opening.
“If you’ve gone the college route you may have just graduated and can’t find the right job because you don’t have the work experience, or you have worked in the field for a long time but don’t have the degree to support the experience that you have. So a registered apprenticeship program gives you the experience and the skills at the same time,” Stark said.
Businesses benefit from apprenticeships as well, Stark said, holding an average 93% retention rate for employees who complete an apprenticeship program. Stark said businesses also incur lower recruitment costs and see higher productivity and increased workplace safety.
She said employers are more apt to keep on an employee who has undergone apprenticeship training and is more easily able to adapt to another assignment.
“So when we come out of a recession and more work is available, they’ve already got the workforce and the updated skills to be able to pull themselves out quicker,” Stark said.
Stark said apprenticeships are popular across many business platforms in all job markets, including high-demand construction jobs, the growing healthcare industry, and cyber security.
Stark also said that, unlike the traditional job route, age is rarely ever a factor. In Utah, apprentices make up to $60,000 a year upon completion of their apprenticeship.