Melody Rodriguez-Ventura always knew she wanted to work with her hands. 

“I’ve always been the type to get my hands dirty,” she said. “I liked getting down and doing hard work.”

Initially, she imagined a future in construction but was excited about the possibility of becoming an electrician after learning about the field from her guidance counselor at Dieruff High School in Allentown.

Two days later, she was interviewing with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 375 (IBEW 375) to become an electrician’s apprentice. She was chosen for a spot in that competitive training program, and immediately excelled, being named Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprentice of the Year in 2025. 

During this year's state awards ceremony on April 27, during National Apprenticeship Week, IBEW 375 was recognized with an Outstanding Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor Award. 

Following completion of her pre-apprenticeship, Rodriguez-Ventura currently is a second-year apprentice employed at Albarell Electric Inc. She is supporting electrical installation during construction of the Creative Factory, an 80,000-square-foot, five-story hub of visual arts, education, and creativity being constructed by ArtsQuest in Bethlehem.

Being an electrician’s apprentice checks a lot of boxes for Rodriguez-Ventura. It’s an in-demand occupation with plentiful work, yet it’s also flexible. It is physically and intellectually challenging and there are a variety of job sites and tasks, so the work is never boring. She’s learning new technical skills every day from experienced mentors, and she’s being challenged to strengthen her interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

Rodriguez-Ventura also appreciates that, as an apprentice, she’s earning a living as she learns.

“Apprenticeship has garnered renewed attention of late. The earn-while-you-learn model incentivizes workforce participation and facilitates the transfer of valuable knowledge to the incoming generation of workers,” said Karianne Gelinas, Vice President of Talent Strategies at Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC).

Pennsylvania has been increasing its investment in apprenticeships, adding more than 230 new apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in the past three years, as funding for career and technical education and apprenticeships has grown from $118 million to $183 million.

Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing an additional $18 million in the 2026-27 state budget.

“Apprenticeships continue to prove themselves as one of the most effective workforce development strategies we have: they open doors for Pennsylvanians to earn while they learn and build a stronger, more competitive economy in the process,” said Nancy Walker, Pennsylvania Labor & Industry Secretary.

The federal government has set a goal of reaching one million apprentices nationwide and is offering grants aimed at modernizing and scaling programs to meet that goal.

Efforts to expand apprenticeships come at a crucial time. The number of skilled tradespeople is shrinking, with many nearing retirement or leaving the workforce. Capturing their knowledge is critical to the success of industry in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, and the nation.

“We’re literally the future,” Rodriguez-Ventura said. “We’re building America. We wouldn’t have any of the buildings we have, or homes, if it weren’t for the people who passed down the knowledge to the people who are building now. So, it’s an important job.”   

Apprenticeship programs like those at IBEW 375 and the Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley (iTEC) for advanced manufacturing strengthen the Lehigh Valley’s workforce pipeline. Companies also benefit from increased employee retention and morale.

Rodriguez-Ventura would like to train future apprentices when she is a journey person. She’s happy she found IBEW 375, and believes the opportunities provided through apprenticeships deserve more attention.

“There are probably a lot of other students who would like to do it, but they just don’t know that there’s an opportunity for them,” she said.