It was an afternoon of celebration at Northampton Community College on April 30, where a proud mother sat, holding a colorful bouquet for her daughter, Melody Rodriguez, winner of this year’s Outstanding Registered Pre-Apprentice Award.
Rodriguez, an apprentice from Allentown, was among the honorees at the 2nd Annual Pennsylvania Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Award Ceremony. The event recognizes the importance of registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and the role they play in supporting the workforce.
The celebration was organized by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Apprenticeship and Training Office, in partnership with the German American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia and Northampton Community College, a key partner in the Lehigh Valley’s collaborative manufacturing apprenticeship program.
“Apprenticeships offer a proven pathway to gain hands-on experience, develop critical skills, and build successful careers with family-sustaining wages, all without the burden of student loan debt,” said Nancy A. Walker, Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry.
The award presented to Rodriguez, a graduate of Dieruff High School who completed her pre-apprenticeship last year and now is a first-year electrician apprentice at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 375 in Allentown, honors an individual who has demonstrated a motivation to succeed and a commitment to learning new skills and advancing their career through completing a pre-apprenticeship program.
Rodriguez said her apprenticeship opportunity “is amazing,” offering her entry into a promising career.
“I'm set in my job and I'm going to have a career that's going to provide for my family, money for a house,” she said, offering to give back to the program that got her started.
The German American Chamber of Commerce, which supports the Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley (iTEC), received an Outstanding Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor Award. It is presented in recognition of a successful Pennsylvania registered apprenticeship program that has exemplified embracing partnerships, apprenticeship ecosystem building, and training successful journey workers.
iTEC is a partnership of industry, education, government, and community organizations that promotes careers in advanced manufacturing. Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) provides administrative support for iTEC and Northampton Community College is one of the training partners.
“We're committed to evolving our programs to meet the needs of employers and to prepare students, not just for jobs, but for meaningful, long-term careers,” said Dr. David Ruth, President of Northampton Community College.
Pennsylvania has approved 90 new apprenticeships and enrolled 14,128 new apprentices in about the past two years and Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to expand those offerings further.
His proposed budget for the next fiscal year – which requires legislative approval – would create a dedicated $12.5 million Workforce and Economic Development Network appropriation, leveraging $10 million in existing funds and $2.5 million in new state funds to train additional workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that, on average, apprentices earn a starting wage of $80,000 per year after graduation and are on track to earn $300,000 more over their careers compared to workers who do not graduate from an apprenticeship program. For every dollar spent on apprenticeships, employers get an average of $1.47 back in increased productivity.
Bethlehem Area School District plans to launch a pre-apprenticeship program for juniors and seniors at its two high schools in the second semester of the 2025-26 school year. The program, which is pending state certification, is the first of its kind offered by a Lehigh Valley school district and is a partnership with Lehigh Valley employers that are participating in iTEC.
Students who complete the pre-apprenticeship program exit with a stronger understanding of what it takes to work in the manufacturing sector. They will be ready to join a formal apprenticeship program, continue their coursework with Northampton Community College, or pursue a career in another facet of the industry.
The state provided a $201,145 schools-to-work grant, and this program will directly link students to the state’s industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeship.
(Photo by Scott Johnson/Northampton Community College)