“Free College and a Paycheck”
12.10.2015
In a recent ceremony several organizations were recognized for leadership and mentoring in student apprenticeship programs, including the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP), of which SCHUNK is a member. Siemens Charlotte was recognized as well. NCTAP offers a four-year program that provides integrated basic training to develop technical, methodological and social skills. The core training program gives apprentices a wide range of skills obtained through a hands-on approach.
Apprentice Describes Experience
At the ceremony Jack Rensel (pictured above), a second year SCHUNK apprentice, gave a presentation that covered his life before NCTAP, how he found out about the program, and how much he has learned while working at SCHUNK over the past 12 months. Jack stated that the program allowed him “to really understand the manufacturing environment and how everybody in the process comes together for a big picture.” The audience was impressed with his enthusiasm.
“Free College and a Paycheck”
The folks at NCTAP refer to their programs as “free college and a paycheck.” They provide an interesting 5-Year Cumulative Cash Flow Comparison that demonstrates the outcomes of a NCTAP apprentice vs. a NCSU (North Carolina State University) engineering student. As shown in the chart below, after five years the NCTAP apprentice has positive cash flow of $121,447, while the NCSU engineering student has a negative cash flow of $37,056.
AN IMPRESSIVE CASE FOR APPRENTICESHIP
NCTAP also offers a comparison of other outcomes that make an impressive case for the apprenticeship career path:
5-Year Outcomes for NCTAP Apprentice
- $121,447 cumulative income
- Four years industrial experience
- Two-year Associate’s Degree in Applied Science – Mechatronics
- College credits transfer into 4-year degree program, commonly earned later
- Journeyman’s Certificate from NCDOC and USDOL
- Guaranteed job after NCTAP graduation
5-Year Outcomes for NCSU Engineering Student
- $37,056 cumulative college costs
- No industrial experience
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering
- No guarantee of a job
- $23,000 average college debt at graduation
A TENACIOUS DRIVE TO LEARN
Pat McCrory, Governor of North Carolina, spoke during the ceremony regarding the importance of apprenticeship programs in the state and the nation, as well as the impact of the right education for our young adults. Milton Guerry, President of SCHUNK, commended the apprentices. “We are extremely proud of our apprentices and their tenacious drive to learn. They add tremendous value to SCHUNK and we enjoy watching them grow within our company.”
To learn more, please visit NCTAP’s website at www.nctap.org or go to http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/
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