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NCPN to Recognize Florida Pathways to Apprenticeship

Words: Bradley AndersonOn Friday, October 12, the National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) will recognize the winner and honorable mention recipients of the 2018 Career Pathways Excellence Award competition. Three programs will be recognized at the annual conference luncheon at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. This year’s winner is Florida Pathways to Apprenticeship.

Florida Pathways to Apprenticeship is a program of the Florida Masonry Apprentice and Education Foundation (FMAEF). FMAEF was created in 2002 to add new and to expand existing apprenticeship programs and offer education to the masonry industry.

FMAEF works closely with the Masonry Association of Florida (MAF) to establish industry standards on curriculum and credentialing. Employers and other support partners donate tools, equipment, and materials. FMAEF is also supported through the Florida Concrete Masonry Education Council (FCMEC).

FMAEF has developed an extensive network of employers who speak with construction classes, participate in open houses and career fairs, and provide shadowing and internship opportunities for students. Employers participate in local, state, and national Skills USA competitions as mentors, contest chairs, and judges.

Prospective participants can enter the program at multiple levels. Through pre-apprenticeship training completed at the high school level, at-risk youth programs such as Youth Build and AMI Kids, or any of the eight Florida Department of Corrections programs, students who have completed NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) knowledge and performance levels can articulate credit earned into apprenticeship programs. The program also provides a process for adults seeking to enroll and establish proof of past experience.

By providing continuing options for articulation from pre-apprentice training into full masonry apprenticeship programs, FMAEF has developed a pipeline of talent for participating contractors and companies feeling the strain of a limited skilled labor pool. The commitment to using nationally recognized curriculum with stackable credentials provides for a growth model where employers can continue to educate and develop leaders in their prospective fields.

Open to any Career Pathways Initiative (state, regional or local), the Career Pathways Excellence Award emphasizes the importance of career guidance and advising, professional development for educators and employers, and the employer role in providing work-based learning opportunities for students.

NCPN (ncpn.info) is an organization for educators, employers, and others involved in the advancement of Career Pathways, career technical education (CTE), and related education reform initiatives.
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