The places an apprenticeship can take you | News

He’s now a senior at Georgia Southern University studying mechanical engineering, and he credits the Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training. The German-style apprenticeship program at Central Educational Center in Newnan, allows local high school students to learn a trade at a number of different companies involved in the program while earning their high school diploma.

The students participating in the dual enrollment program graduate with an associate’s degree from West Georgia Technical College as well. Proctor earned an associate’s degree in precision manufacturing and maintenance.

“Funny story,” he said. “I actually had (the associate’s degree) before I got my high school diploma.”

The pandemic caused a delay in his high school education, but didn’t affect the degree from WGTC, he said.

Mark Whitlock, chief executive officer of the Central Educational System, said the apprenticeship program started in 2016. But that was after at least a year of work setting up the infrastructure for the program. There were laws that had to be amended to allow the apprenticeships, partnerships to be formed with local companies and also a level of understanding of how the German apprenticeships work and how that could be adapted to the American education system.

One of the ways the apprenticeship program is different from an internship is that it is a long-term program, Whitlock said.

“An apprenticeship is a two- to three-year program,” he said. “The training is dual. They are in the classroom or lab while training with the employer.”

About 75 percent of the program is general and could be used at any manufacturer. Only about…