Apprenticeships Help Recruit, Train, and Retain Employees

The challenges of dealing with fewer workers in the workforce has made NPGA’s Registered Apprenticeship Program valuable to the industry as a tool to recruit and train new employees. The Apprenticeship Program includes four paths to certification. One pathway is for propane service technicians, and the other three pertain to driving commercial motor vehicles. All training is through PERC’s learning management system and a qualified mentor.

Sayle Propane, which operates in Mississippi, was one of the first companies to participate as an apprentice sponsor. According to Chuck Clement, Director of Operations, “Sayle Propane is experiencing a very tight labor market in our service area. Apprenticeship programs have been very successful in comparable industries over the years. We felt like it could help our company set up a formal curriculum to train and develop new employees with little previous experience.”

Choosing the apprenticeship route often results in greater employee retention. In fact, 94 percent of apprentices retain employment after completing their programs, according to the Department of Labor.

For more information on NPGA’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, please visit www.npga.org/apprenticeship-program or contact Eric Sears.