Oakland County Launches Expanded Registered Apprenticeship Guide Highlighting 72 Career Pathways

• Oakland County Registered Apprenticeship Guide showcases 72 U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship occupations across traditional and emerging industries.
• The guide highlights high-demand career pathways with strong wages.
• It connects students, job seekers, employers and labor partners to training, education and workforce opportunities across Oakland County.

Pontiac, Mich. - Oakland County has released a fully updated Oakland County Registered Apprenticeship Guide, showcasing 72 U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship occupations across a wide range of industries.

County officials unveiled the new guide at a special Race To Talent^™ apprenticeship event at the Plumbers Local 98 and Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit Training Center in Troy. The guide was shared with employers, labor organizations, K-12 partners, community colleges and universities and state and local workforce development professionals.

Oakland County is currently home to more than 2,200 registered apprentices, according to data from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Statewide, Michigan had 20,600 active registered apprentices in 2024, representing a 12 percent increase over the previous year.

The Oakland County Registered Apprenticeship Guide opens with an overview of what a registered apprenticeship is, how to become a registered apprentice, available pre-apprenticeship programs and the Michigan Apprenticeship Readiness Certificate (MARC). It also includes a comprehensive catalog of apprenticeship programs in both traditional sectors - such as construction and advanced manufacturing - and emerging fields, including healthcare, information technology, professional services, K-12 education, agriculture and legal professions.

Each apprenticeship listing includes a job description, job titles, community college training partner(s), labor union program(s), trade school(s), length of program, job forecast through 2032 and entry-level and median wages. The guide also features a detailed appendix with contact information for community colleges, labor partners, and other key organizations referenced throughout the publication.

"We've come a long way since Oakland County published its first Registered Apprenticeship Guide 20 years ago," said Jennifer Llewellyn, manager of Oakland County Workforce Development. "This new Guide is more than twice the size of the original and serves as a comprehensive resource for individuals exploring apprenticeship opportunities, as well as employers and labor partners looking to connect with future talent."

Beginning early next year, the Oakland County Registered Apprenticeship Guide will be distributed to public and private high schools across Oakland County; the six Oakland County Michigan Works! centers; Oakland80 Career and Education Navigators; workforce development boards; labor partners; community colleges; employers (upon request); community organizations; the Oakland County Department of Economic Development; elected officials; media; and members of the public (upon request).

Employers interested in launching a Registered Apprenticeship Program should contact Liz Rivard-Weston, Oakland County Michigan Works! apprenticeship success coordinator, at [email protected]. Those interested in obtaining a copy of the Guide may request one at [email protected]. The Guide is also available online at https://issuu.com/oaklandcountyed/docs/oakland_county_registered_apprenticeship_guide_.

During the Race To Talent event, Oakland County Workforce Development recognized several contributors to the Registered Apprenticeship Guide, including:

Labor Partners

• Metro Detroit Electrical Industry Training Center
• Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights
• Operating Engineers Local 324
• UA Local Plumbers 98 and the Plumbers 98 & MCA Detroit Training Center

Community College

• Macomb Community College
• Oakland Community College

Other Contributors

• Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity
• MUST Construction Careers
• Oakland County Apprenticeship Task Force
• Oakland Schools
• Workforce Intelligence Network

About Oakland County Michigan Works!

Oakland County Michigan Works! operates centers in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy, and Waterford, where they assist more than 105,000 job seekers annually. Services include career coaching, interviewing and job search workshops, placement assistance, training courses and job trend information. The centers also assist more than 3,000 employers seeking help with talent recruitment, apprenticeship programs, job fairs, candidate pre-screening, hiring and training support, layoff support and labor market data. Staff also work one-on-one with job seekers to build their resumes, prepare for job interviews and help address other needs. To schedule an appointment, call 248-858-5520 and select the office nearest to you. The centers host several virtual workshops for job seekers. A schedule can be found at OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.

About Registered Apprenticeship in Michigan

Boosting awareness of Registered Apprenticeship represents part of Labor and Economic Opportunity overall efforts to expand the talent pool and match employers with qualified employees to grow and sustain a vibrant economy. That effort strengthens Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Sixty by 30 initiative to have 60 percent of Michigan's working adults with a skills certificate or postsecondary degree by 2030. Oakland County has a goal of having 80 percent of eligible adults secure a college degree or skills certification by 2030. For more information on Registered Apprenticeship in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Apprenticeship.