The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has provided trades and workplace skills education and training to men and women in the Central Maryland Region since 1980. In addition to the open-enrollment hands-on instruction the institution provides, CCBC has formal apprenticeship instruction partnerships with 10 organizations which are registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council. Below are answers to some of the frequently asked questions about CCBC's role in apprenticeship training.

1. What is an Apprenticeship?
2. Do I get paid as a working Apprentice?
3. Where are Apprenticeship courses offered?
4. What happens after Apprenticeship training is completed?
5. What is CCBC's role in Apprenticeship training?
6. Can an Apprentice earn a degree while in training?
7. Who can I talk to about becoming an Apprentice?

1. What is an Apprenticeship?

Registered apprenticeship is a structured education and training opportunity for men and women which combines full-time employment in a specific trade with appropriate related instruction. While employed, the apprentice works under the supervision of a trained Journeyperson who teaches the apprentice specific on-the-job tasks and monitors their performance. The Journeyperson demonstrates the proper techniques and work practices, and signs off on work performed by the apprentice when it is successfully completed. In the evenings, apprentices are required to take a structured series of courses over a four or five year time frame. The number of years of classroom instruction, and the number of hours spent each year in the classroom, are determined based on the apprenticeship program the young man/woman enrolls into. Classroom instruction is usually offered from September through May in the evenings, although some apprenticeship programs are beginning to offer four day work weeks with the fifth day spent in the classroom.

2. Do I get paid as a working Apprentice?

Yes. When an apprentice is accepted into a formal state-registered apprenticeship program, he/she is placed into a full-time position with an employer the program has a working-relationship with. Hourly wages vary depending on the skilled trade area the apprenticeship works and trains in.

3. Where are Apprenticeship courses offered?

They are offered on different sites across the metropolitan area. At times, the classes will be taught on CCBC Campuses and in the college's labs. At other times, the CCBC apprenticeship partners manage their own training facilities or the courses are hosted at selected Baltimore County Public High Schools.

4. What happens after Apprenticeship training is completed?

After completion of an approved Apprenticeship Training program, the graduate will attain Journeyperson status and is eligible to perform any of their trade's functions required on the worksite. The Journeyperson certificate is recognized by companies and labor organizations across the United States, so if the apprentice chooses to move elsewhere they will be employable anywhere in the country.

5. What is CCBC's role in Apprenticeship training?

At times, the apprenticeship courses are offered on CCBC Campuses, sometimes they are not. But at all times, the faculty who deliver the apprenticeship instruction will be CCBC Adjunct Instructors. The curriculum offered is typically developed nationally by professionals in the field, however, at times it is edited to reflect local needs and the college will participate in this process. Additionally, CCBC personnel secure furniture, instructional equipment and other resources for the classes. Just as importantly, all apprenticeships involved in an apprenticeship program associated with the college will receive a CCBC Student ID card so that they can use the college facilities and attend college events.

6. Can an Apprentice earn a degree while in training?

Yes. By choosing an apprenticeship sponsor affiliated with CCBC, apprentices will have the unique opportunity of earning credit towards an Associate of Applied Sciences degree. The college refers to this process as our “Credit by Apprenticeship Program.” Depending on the trade program the apprentice selects, his/her classroom instruction will qualify them for between six and 30 credits toward an A.A.S. degree.

7. Who can I talk to about becoming an Apprentice?

CCBC has relationships with 10 recognized apprenticeship training program sponsors, and provides curriculum instruction for an 11th. If a potential candidate is not certain which trade he/she would like to pursue for a career, they can investigate their options by contacting any training representative below to talk about the jobs they prepare men and women for. CCBC's apprenticeship partners are: