Ask The Experts: Erin Frew

Q: How can high school apprenticeship programs benefit students seeking a career in the trades?

A: “By providing access to apprenticeship programs, students get that real-life experience that they need,” says Erin Frew, network support leader of STEAM at Cleveland Metropolitan School District. “An apprenticeship provides them real access to the kind of high-paying jobs they would not necessarily get if they did not have the apprenticeship training. They are trained by someone and work side-by-side with someone who is a veteran in that field. They are gaining work experience in a supervised fashion and are able to demonstrate proficiency in the different competencies they need in a particular job. It allows them to prove themselves in their career pathway while getting experience that’s compensated. It’s a really great opportunity.”