Vanguard Apprenticeship Collaborative

Employers Build a Skilled Workforce while Apprentices Earn, Learn, and Explore Career Pathways

Vance-Granville Community College has a Vanguard Apprenticeship Collaborative that seeks to partner with employers to provide educational opportunities through related instruction and provide apprentices with real-world on-the-job training.

What is an Apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a paid training program that includes a combination of hands-on work experience and relevant course instruction. Apprentices earn increasing wages while they train in a skilled trade and work towards a nationally recognized credential. These industry-led programs are long-term (1-4 years) and are designed to develop in-demand skills needed for a successful career! Typically, apprentices are 16 years or older and seeking experience in a chosen industry.

Apprenticeships vs. Internships

Internships and apprenticeships differ in several key ways. Internships are typically short-term opportunities designed to help students explore potential career paths. These experiences often lack structured training programs, and employers may not have permanent positions available once the internship ends. Additionally, interns usually do not earn nationally recognized credentials upon completion.

Pre-Apprenticeships are for individuals who are interested in exploring a specific career field to gain foundational knowledge and experience. Typically, these are short-term opportunities that prepare for entry into a full apprenticeship.

Registered Apprenticeships mean that companies have registered their apprenticeship program with the U.S Department of Labor and have met national and independent standards for quality and rigor. These are typically full-time work experiences and include class attendance in a major related to the chosen industry as well as on-the-job training.

Pre-Apprenticeship	Apprenticeship
You must be 16 years old or older	You must be 16 years old or older
Last 1 year or less	Last 1-6 years (most last around 4 years)
Can be paid or unpaid	Paid in an increasing scale based on experience and skills
May include class and/or on-the-job training	Includes class attendance with a combination of on-the-job training
Industry credential upon completion of program	Nationally recognized credential (from DOL) upon completion of program

Programs Offered:

Early Childhood Education
Information Technology
Human Resources
Bioprocessing (pre-apprenticeship)
And growing – we are happy to discuss program areas you are interested in adding to the list!

Get started and submit the Apprenticeship Interest Form.