SIOUX CITY, IA – In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, the IowaWORKS Center in Sioux City is highlighting Registered Apprenticeship opportunities at the 2018 Fall Career Fair on Thursday, Nov. 15th. Over 80 employers are scheduled to attend the fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Western Iowa Tech Community College, 4647 Stone Ave. in Sioux City. Attendees will receive a list of employers who are Registered Apprenticeship sponsors and their tables will be designated with a sign and balloons so they are easy to find.

National Apprenticeship Week is Nov. 12-18. Registered Apprenticeship is an employer-driven model, combining on-the-job learning with related classroom instruction and allows the Registered Apprentice to earn a paycheck from day one. Iowa is a leader in the nation for offering Registered Apprenticeship opportunities. As of Oct. 30, Iowa has 754 active Registered Apprenticeship Programs and 8,047 Registered Apprentices. In just the past month, Iowa has registered 13 new programs and 95 Registered Apprentices have completed their programs.

Jon Murad, Business Marketing Specialist at IowaWORKS in Sioux City, encourages job seekers to bring up-to-date resumes to the job fair. “When you are hired as a Registered Apprentice, you are an employee of the company,” Murad said. “It is important to have a well-written resume and strong interviewing skills so you stand out among other job seekers. Many employers who are hiring Registered Apprentices are looking for people with strong soft skills – a willingness to learn, good problem solving skills, the ability to take initiative and excellent communication. They’ll teach you the technical skills on-the-job as long as you show an aptitude to learn and have a strong work ethic.”

Employers and job seekers interested in learning more about Registered Apprenticeship are encouraged to visit earnandlearniowa.gov. The website provides a high level overview of how a Registered Apprenticeship works and provides forms for job seekers and employers to complete to receive more information.