Dive Brief:

• Apprenticeships could hold promise for the food and beverage industry, a U.S. Department of Labor offical told industry leaders at a recent forum, according to FoodNavigator.
• The publication reports that employers in the industry are beginning to use apprenticeships not only for entry-level positions, but also for managerial roles, even using them to help guide women to the C-suite.
• The programs provide a way for workers to learn on the job, rather than incurring massive student debt, DOL's representative said.

Dive Insight:

Interest in apprentice programs has been on the rise since the U.S. Department of Labor and the Trump administration began focusing on the programs last year.  And some say the private sector has space for them; a recent study found that only 27 occupations in the U.S. utilize apprenticeship models but that many more could be good candidates. In fact, their popularity is moving to white-collar jobs at a heightened pace, as DOL noted.

Many companies are finding that traditional training simply doesn’t meet their needs anymore, and some say apprenticeships may be able to fill the gap between an employee capable of learning and a business willing to provide that opportunity.

Proponents say the return on investment may be significant, too, not only in employee value but in retention in a tight talent market. The ability to train an employee on the job can result in deep understanding not only of the work, but also the corporate culture — something that can't be taught elsewhere.