This designation allows increased benefits for program participants.
The Carolina Collaborative for Alternative Preparation (CarolinaCAP) is now a certified apprenticeship through Apprenticeship Carolina™. This designation allows candidates to be eligible for additional funding towards their teaching certification and preparation — even for essentials like gas to travel to and from school. Nikki Biagas, CarolinaCAP project manager, shares that this new designation recognizes the importance of practical skills and industry exposure in shaping successful professionals.
“Through apprenticeship, our program bridges the gap between education and employment, empowering aspiring education professionals with the necessary expertise and confidence to excel in their careers,” Biagas says. “This bridge connects CarolinaCAP candidates with coaches and district employers who provide invaluable guidance and mentorship. Their immersive learning experience not only hones their technical abilities but also fosters their professional growth, instilling confidence and resilience. As a result, our apprentices are well-prepared to enter the workforce, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and network to excel in the teaching profession.”
Apprenticeship Carolina™ is a division of the South Carolina Technical College System allowing South Carolina employers to register or sponsor apprenticeship programs that cultivate highly skilled workers and contribute to the South Carolina economy. Apprenticeships create career pathways and are registered with the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship. Cindy Van Buren, director of CarolinaCrED, offers many thanks to the team at Apprenticeship Carolina™ for their assistance and support throughout the approval process.
“The U.S. Department of Labor representative Cleveland Williams and the staff at Apprenticeship Carolina™ made this whole process incredibly painless,” Van Buren says. “They were always there to assist us with our questions and application and supporting us in seeking this designation. While the end result does not change our model, it helps us to grow our support of those interested in candidacy. We are the second educational entity to receive this designation in our state.”
CarolinaCAP combines theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to give candidates an unmatched understanding of the profession, making it a perfect fit for this designation. Registering as an official apprenticeship is one of the ways CarolinaCAP is committed to enhancing its candidate experience.
“Apprenticeship is one catalyst that fuels our program’s growth, as it combines hands-on learning with real-world experiences, nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals,” Biagas says.
By Anna Francis, annafrancis@email.sc.edu