May 5—Meridian Technology Center celebrated the launch of its new Automotive Mechanic Registered Apprenticeship program on Thursday.

Janzen Toyota and Stillwater Automotive — the first two businesses to be involved in the program — signed with MTC to offer the program to prospective apprentices. Bob Couse, State Director at United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship was also present.

"This apprenticeship program is just wonderful," said Lonnie Daugherty, owner of Stillwater Automotive. "It gives us a tool to start a young man in the business."

U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Programs are industry-driven career pathways that develop the workforce. Apprenticeships help get skilled employees into the labor market faster and provide a fast track to employment.

MTC has three Registered Apprenticeship programs with 24 participants enrolled and 16 partnered businesses. Sponsored occupations are heating and air conditioning installation/service, automobile body repairer and automobile mechanic.

"We are able to increase our training capacity and meet the needs of our stakeholders faster through the apprenticeship training model," Apprenticeship Coordinator Joe Steele said. "We partner with employers to assist with the logistics of Registered Apprenticeship Programs, while providing the training their employees need to succeed. Students can work full time while learning and earning credentials. In turn, businesses can access a diverse talent pool at any time before they are completely trained or use this model to upskill their current employees."

RAPs must meet specific requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor. They may qualify for state funding through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, which makes it easier for businesses to help their employees grow their skills and for employers to grow their business.

Apprenticeships also give employers more access to a diverse talent pool and less turnover while offering unique opportunities to train employees.

The MTC apprenticeship program is completely customizable. Apprentices can learn on-the-job training at any stage of life.

"The national average age right now for people for workers in construction is 58," State Director Couse said. "In about 10 years, we're done unless we start training the next generation to come up. Once you go through (apprenticeships) you learn that trade . . . it's with you for the rest of your life."

Couse said the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship has a lot of small apprenticeship programs, but most seemed to stick with the same curriculum. MTC was the first in the Technology college industry to use this unique approach.

"It seems the focus which Meridian has is, 'What do our employers in the neighborhood need? That's what we're going to teach' — which is just awesome," Couse said. "We're getting calls from a lot of the other Technology colleges. It's like wildfire. I think it's going to start jumping through all the Technology colleges in the state."

Daugherty said Stillwater Automotive has found it can't hire trained technicians, and its last two good hires were both young men who had an interest in auto mechanics. The incentive funds they received from Oklahoma Commerce allowed them to buy tools and offer better pay for their apprentices.

"It's the quality of apprentice that we need right now," Daugherty said.

Daugherty said that many of his apprentices have gone on to be engineers.

"I like that I get to earn and learn at the same time," said Parker Story, an automotive mechanic apprentice. "It opens up opportunities for me that I wouldn't have otherwise. I especially like the mentorship aspect. It's really valuable to work with someone else one on one and develop not only my skill set but also my career."

The program has grown faster than MTC thought was possible. Its initial goal was to launch one program in 2023, but they now have three. Future programs for apprenticeships include plumbing, line workers, electrical engineering and locksmiths.

"It's not just Career Tech, it's not just the Department of Commerce, it's not just the Department of Labor — it's all those working together to make sure that Oklahoma has the workforce it needs," MTC Superintendent Doug Major said. "This is an example of where we can demonstrate that we truly do that."