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Apprenticeship

About the Apprenticeship Program

Preparing businesses for tomorrow means building a skilled workforce today which is why the Builders Association of North Central Florida (BANCF) proudly sponsors the BANCF Apprenticeship Program to help businesses recruit, train, and retain skilled workers across the trades.

The BANCF Apprenticeship Program, registered by the Florida Department of Education, is an association sponsored and employer driven model that incorporates an “earn while you learn” style of combining on-the-job training (OJT) with related classroom instruction. This allows apprentices to earn wages while learning trade skills to better prepare the trades for future needs, growth, and enhancing the bottom line.

Program Started:  2007

Counties Covered: Alachua, Levy, Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette, Madison, Taylor, Suwannee, and Hamilton

Program Sponsor: BANCF is a non-profit corporation that is made up of participating employers (trade contractors) and partnering organization (businesses and individuals).

Program Overview:

  • Trades include Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing (4 years), and Carpentry and Building Maintenance (2 years)
  • Apprentices spend 2,000 hours per year in on-the-job training.
    • 8,000 OJT hours /650 instructional hours (4 years) and 4,000 OJT hours / 425 inst. hours (2 years).
  • Apprentices attend classes two nights a week at Santa Fe College during the fall and spring semesters for 156 hours of educational instruction.
  • Starting pay is based on 55% of the current journeyman rate in a trade with raises of 5% of that rate given for every 1,000 hours of OJT (approximately every 6 months).
  • Tuition is paid for by the participating employer sponsoring the apprentice.

Program Curriculum:

  • Plumbing, HVAC and Carpentry uses the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) curriculum.
  • Electrical uses Mike Holt Enterprises curriculum.
  • Building Maintenance uses Home Builders Institute (HBI) curriculum.

Program Requirements:

  • Apprentices:
    • Must be at least 18 years old.
    • Must work for a participating employer.
  • Employer:
    • Must be a member of BANCF.
    • Must be registered with the State.

Program Rewards:

  • Journey Worker Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from the Apprenticeship Section, Florida Department of Education, Division of Workforce Development.
  • Co-op Industrial Education Certificate from Santa Fe College.
  • Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from BANCF.
  • NCCER Completion Certificates for Plumbing, HVAC and Carpentry, Mike Holt Enterprises Certificate for Electrical and HBI Completion Certificates for Building Maintenance.
  • OSHA 10 for all students

Apprenticeship By the Numbers

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Apprentice Program Completion Rate

Average Return on Employer Investment

Employers
Recommend Registered Apprenticeship
as a Training Model

Retention Rate for Apprentice Employment

Partnerships

The success of the BANCF Apprenticeship Program relies heavily on the partnerships between the trade employers, BANCF, and Santa Fe College.

BANCF Logo
BANCF Apprenticeship logo
SANTA COLLEGE logo
  • Sponsors the program.
  • Administers the program and ensures compliance with the FDOE.
  • Markets the program to businesses, schools, and the public.
  • Helps to attract employers to become a participant in the program.
  • Works with Santa Fe College to support and monitor the progress of apprentices.
  • Enrolls employees in the program.
  • Identifies curriculum for related instruction.
  • Contributes to the set wages and pays those wages as skills and training increases.
  • Provides OJT and mentorship.
  • Promotes program in the local community.
  • Administers the related instruction for apprentices.
  • Provides supportive services such as classrooms, labs, equipment, and tools.
  • Recruits and employs NCCER and Mike Holt Certified Instructors.
  • Employs a designated Apprentice Coordinator.

Ready to Participate?

Click on one of the boxes below to see how to get involved.

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