CEAVCO Audio Visual is developing its skilled-talent pipeline by hiring Joaquin Perez through CareerWise Colorado’s modern youth-apprenticeship program. CareerWise offers work-based learning opportunities for students in 21st-century career fields and an innovative approach to talent acquisition that leaves businesses with a positive return on investment and a workforce fit to take on the 21st-century economy.
Joaquin, soon to be a high school junior, started his three-year apprenticeship with CEAVCO on June 12. He’s working as a Quality Control Technician, performing quality control checks on equipment, assisting with a wide range of warehouse operations to track inventory, and helping to order replacement parts. He’ll work 15 hours a week during his junior school year, 20 hours a week during his senior school year, and 25-40 hours a week after graduation. Continuing education is important, and he receives both a paycheck and the equivalent of 30 hours of college credit or trade school credit.
The hiring process works like this. CareerWise teens access a CareerWise job portal, identify open positions that interest them, and then apply for a job with a prospective employer. Joaquin was excited at the prospect of working for CEAVCO, and applied for a position. CEAVCO Operations Manager Justin Read and CEAVCO Controller Don Ortiz interviewed Joaquin and thought he would make a great fit. Justin serves as Joaquin’s supervisor, and Don serves as Justin’s mentor. Justin and Don both received 6 hours of CareerWise training to set Joaquin up for success in his new position, and Joaquin attended a two-day apprentice boot camp to learn the basics of working for a company.
Says Don, “We see many benefits to bringing the right people on early in their careers to help shape their skills and cultural development. We’re excited to be participating in the CareerWise program, especially since we’re seeing that it doesn’t take long for an apprentice to become a productive, contributing member of the team.”
CareerWise Colorado’s statewide program creates pathways for students to access high-demand, high-paying careers at leading Colorado companies. Student apprentices work toward high school graduation and earn postsecondary credit and industry credentials, performing meaningful, productive work as they are trained to step into full-time roles. Employers benefit from an innovative talent pipeline of productive apprentices for hard-to-fill positions. In its third year, CareerWise Colorado works with education and industry partners in Metro Denver, Fort Collins, Estes Park, Loveland/Berthoud, Grand Junction, and Eagle County.