FTE Automotive USA Inc. in Auburn Hills was dealing with an aging workforce, increased workload, attrition due to the hot job market and difficulty finding successful candidates for mechatronic technician positions. Then, CEO Andreas Thumm suggested the company try using registered apprenticeships to fill jobs.

“At first I was somewhat skeptical,” said Harold Snyder, test lab/facilities manager at FTE. “But based on the quick learning curve and ramp-up of skill sets, I think apprenticeships have tremendously paid off.”

Apprenticeships aren’t new, but they are becoming increasingly necessary. Many skilled workers are nearing retirement and young people often are encouraged to seek white-collar jobs that require a four-year college degree. The result is a shortage of skilled workers in information technology, construction, health care and manufacturing, which is now entrenched in mobility and data collection.

However now, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeships in the U.S. are increasing in number and value to employees, employers and communities at large.

Read the full story here.

This story is sponsored by the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN).