Why Talent Together Invests in a Registered Apprenticeship Program
Understanding the Apprenticeship Model
An apprenticeship is a structured, hands-on training program where individuals learn a profession by working alongside experienced mentors. They gain real-world experience while completing related academic instruction.
The apprenticeship model has been around for centuries, and teachers have participated in internships for decades, but it wasn’t until recently that we’ve seen K-12 education adopt a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) model to train aspiring teachers.
At Talent Together, our Registered Apprenticeship Program offers candidates the unique opportunity to earn a salary while working alongside a Mentor Teacher for an entire school year. The apprenticeship overlaps with and enhances the traditional model of student teaching.
Learn and Earn
Our recent Teacher Candidate Survey revealed that financial barriers were the most significant challenge teacher candidates faced prior to joining Talent Together.
Through our Registered Apprenticeship, Apprentice Teachers are hired by school districts and receive a salary and benefits—helping to eliminate the financial barriers of traditional, unpaid student teaching
By allowing aspiring teachers to earn a paycheck while earning their certification, Talent Together’s Registered Apprenticeship Program is making the pathway to teaching more accessible for individuals across the state.
For Ruben Gonzalez, now a full-time teacher at Fiedler Elementary in Kearsley Community School District, this learn-and-earn model completely changed the trajectory of his life.
“The biggest challenge for me was the cost of returning to school. Talent Together has helped cover my expenses and enabled me to earn my degree while working full-time. Without their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Learn more about Ruben’s story.
Ruben Gonzalez, Fiedler Elementary School District
Establish Roots
Unlike standard, one-semester student teaching programs, Talent Together’s Registered Apprenticeship Program offers a comprehensive perspective on the teaching profession from fall to spring. Navigating the full academic cycle, Apprentice Teachers establish rich relationships within their school communities and witness student growth for a full academic year before leading their own classroom.
Jessica Allen, Crossroads Charter Academy
At Crossroads Charter Academy in Big Rapids, MI Apprentice Teacher, Jessica Allen works alongside Mentor Teacher Ken Bankwitz. Jessica highlights the variety of support she received along her journey. “My apprentice journey has given me so many opportunities including learning from my mentor teacher, coworkers, fellow apprentice teachers, teachers from my post-secondary school, and the experienced teachers from Michigan Talent Together. From these opportunities to work with so many in teaching, I am gaining the experience and knowledge that will allow me to give my passion for teaching the most effective tools and resources I need to help students learn and thrive in my future classroom.”
Sustain Success
A 2022 poll by the National Education Association revealed that over half of teachers express a desire to leave the teaching profession sooner than they originally planned. Knowing that many teachers leave the profession within their first few years due to the unanticipated pressures of the job, Talent Together invests in the Registered Apprenticeship Program as a way to ease Teacher Candidates into full-time teaching with the support of an experienced mentor.
Calvin Smothers, Donley Elementary School
Calvin Smothers, a first-year teacher at Donley Elementary School, authored an opinion piece in the Detroit News, Old School, New Success: The Power of Apprenticeships in Education, where he stated,
“Individuals who have completed a year-long teaching apprenticeship prior to becoming certified teachers transition into their first year of teaching with confidence and ease and are well-prepared with classroom routines, structure, and experience. Walking into my own classroom for the first time earlier this school year, I felt a profound sense of purpose.”
The Impact of Apprenticeship Programs
Talent Together’s apprenticeship model develops a pipeline of well-trained educators who are equipped to stay in the profession while making a positive impact in classrooms across Michigan. Talent Together’s Apprentice Teachers can lean on a robust network of support from their mentors, peers, and school districts as they embark on their journeys as educators. The Registered Apprenticeship Program enables candidates to learn and earn, establish roots, and sustain success for a strong and fulfilling teaching journey.
Read more Teacher Candidate Stories and Common FAQs about the Registered Apprenticeship Program.