Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2022
After a very successful National Apprenticeship Week, one thing is clear: the momentum for modern youth apprenticeships is growing. This year, CityWorks DC hosted, collaborated, and participated in local and national events with our partners, employers, and apprentices across the District. And together, we demonstrated how employers are effectively building their talent pipelines by hiring and training DC young people and how our apprentices are making real contributions to their companies. Here are some of the ways we celebrated National Apprenticeship Week:
CareerWise DC Employer Partner Site Visits at Gensler and Enlightened, Inc.
Two of our exemplary employers, Enlightened, Inc. and Gensler, were kind enough to showcase their CareerWise DC apprentices alongside their apprentice supervisors. Each highlighted their investment in modern youth apprenticeship to philanthropists and educators from DC Public Schools, Friendship Public Charter School, KIPP DC, IDEA Public Charter School, and Washington Leadership Academy. We heard from Enlightened, Inc. President and CEO Antwayne Ford and Gensler Co-Managing Director and Principal Francisco Gonzalez about how investing in apprenticeships is a business decision for their companies which enables them to tap into the tremendous talent of DC youth.
Our Enlightened, Inc. apprentices, who are all in their third year of the apprenticeship and while also freshman at college, joined virtually and powerfully reflected on what they’d learned and what they’re looking forward to. All of them shared that they could see they’re far ahead of their college peers, including in time management, professionalism, and communication skills because of their extensive work experience.
At Gensler, all three first-year apprentices demonstrated their passion, enthusiasm, and sense of belonging they already felt at the company after only two months, while their supervisors shared the benefits of investing in apprenticeships and how they, as supervisors, have grown professionally. Gensler's apprentice supervisors shared that overseeing the program not only provided a way to help build a better talent pipeline, particularly for specialized roles like Sustainability Strategist, but provided a great opportunity for their own professional growth as managers.
“The perfect candidate doesn’t just walk out of the fog,” said Gensler apprentice supervisor Liz Resenic. “You have to invest in every hire that you make, and this is a great opportunity for us to grow professionally and have the apprentices be that investment.”
We also heard from our school partners that these National Apprenticeship Week events were inspirational and helped “recharge” their determination to tackle the administrative barriers students face in participating in modern youth apprenticeship.
If you’re interested in becoming a CareerWise DC employer partner, email twest@cityworksdc.org or click here to learn more.
Day-in the-Life of Urban Institute and CareerWise DC Apprentice Erikah
CareerWise DC apprentice and Urban Institute Business Operations Strategist Erikah shared a day-in-the-life TikTok about how she majors in neuroscience at Xavier University of Louisiana while completing important work at the Urban Institute in her third year of the apprenticeship. As a Business Operations Specialist, her tasks range from liaising with businesses, employers, and partners, to website updates and data analysis. Watch her video here.
US Department of Labor Youth Apprenticeship Event at Ballou Senior High School
CityWorks DC Program Operations Manager Camille Seymour joined the US Department of Labor Youth Apprenticeship Event at Ballou High School to share the power of work-based learning. More than 50 students attended the event to learn more about CareerWise DC and the path to an apprenticeship in finance, business operations, and information technology. We look forward to welcoming many of these students to future CareerWise DC cohorts! You can see Camille in action here.
CityWorks DC Joins Greater Washington Apprentice Network Reception
CityWorks DC joined the Greater Washington Apprentice Network Reception at CareerWise DC partner Gensler’s offices to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, where our staff and apprentices connected with business leaders across the District. Aon and CareerWise DC apprentices were able to network with colleagues across their organizations. Learn more about the Greater Washington Apprenticeship Network here.
BuildWithin Event
CityWorks DC VP of Innovation Lateefah Durant joined a panel at the BuildWithin “Breaking into Tech” session, part of their WeBuild Future of Work Summit. “CityWorks DC is on a mission to help young adults launch their careers,” Lateefah shared with the crowd. “Our goal is to help start this apprenticeship journey sooner, beginning in high school."
We also had the opportunity to honor our employers who currently have tech apprentices working at their companies: Accenture, Acquired Data Solutions, Clark Construction, Enlightened, Inc., Freddie Mac, Friendship Public Charter School, KIPP DC, Limbic Systems, and Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO)/On Ramps to Careers.
To learn how we ensure the District’s youth of color are prepared for, hired into, and successful in the District and region’s high-wage, high-demand jobs, learn more about CareerWise DC here and our systems change work here.
Partnership for Advancing Youth Apprenticeship
CareerWise DC and Freddie Mac finance apprentice Leah Sloan spoke at the Partnership for Advancing Youth Apprenticeship event at New America about how she’s learned real-life, on-the-job skills as a ESC Risk & Controls Financial Operations Specialist Apprentice, where she often works with confidential information for which she’s trained. The senior at KIPP DC College Preparatory noted that just seeing her LinkedIn profile makes her proud to share her title, as well as what she’s been learning as a member of the Enterprise Supply Chain team. How many 17-year-olds get to say, ”I have received challenging transformational work in the supply chain and procurement operations space that requires a hands-on approach while working in a team environment. I’ve been able to strengthen my problem-solving, creativity, and organization skills”?