Apprenticeships Webpage
In partnership, Renton Technical College serves over 1500 apprentices each year, or nearly 20% of the total number of apprentices in Washington State. There are currently 16 apprenticeship programs affiliated with RTC offering classroom and on-the-job training in the building and construction trades, manufacturing, and public utilities. Apprentices work full time in their field, between two and five years, and attend related schooling part-time, a few weeks per year or evenings per week. In several programs, you have the option of earning an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in addition to a journey-level certificate.
Each program has an apprenticeship coordinator and a joint apprenticeship and training committee (JATC), made up of equal members of labor and management. Because the JATC is from industry, it makes sure that the training meets industry standards. It also determines how many people to let into the program, based on how many job openings are expected. Some programs - Custodial, Machinists, and Stationary Engineers - are only open to current employees in participating companies. Other programs accept applications from the broader community.
The JATC also determines the length of training, the process used to select candidates, and wage progression. Although apprentices are students, they are also workers, and they get paid for their time on the job. Apprentice wages begin at a percentage of the journey-level rate and increase based on an apprentice’s satisfactory progress in class and on the job. Tradespeople typically start at $15/hour plus benefits, and by the end of the apprenticeship (two to five years, depending on the program) earn $25-30/hour or more.
Generally, applicants must be at least 17 or 18 years old, have a valid Washington state driver’s license, and go through a selection process which might include a written test, physical test, drug test, and interview. For more information on specific programs, please contact the apprenticeship coordinators listed with each program below or search the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Catalog.
Apprenticeship Partner Programs
Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee
Lynn Strickland, Executive Director
6811 S. 204th St. Suite 380
Contact: (206) 764-5359, info@manufacturingacademy.org
ajactraining.org
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Machinist |
600 hours |
4 years |
Ardagh Group Apprenticeship
Jason Noble, Manager
Human Resources
5801 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, WA 98134
Contact: (206) 768-6295
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Maintenance Mechanic/Repairer |
576 hours + |
4 years |
| Mold Maker |
576 hours + |
4 years |
Construction Industry Training Council (CITC)
Carpentry Apprenticeship
Robin Brown, Craft Training Coordinator
Direct: 425.285.2329 | Main: 425.454.2482 | Toll-free: 1.877.707.2482 | Fax: 425.462.7391
robin@citcwa.com
https://citcwa.org/
Culinary Arts Apprenticeship
Tony Parker, CEC, AAC
Renton Technical College
3000 NE 4th Street, Renton, WA 98056
Contact: (425) 235-2352, ext. 2437
tparker@rtc.edu
http://www.washingtonstatechefs.com/apprenticeship.html
|
Program
|
Hours
|
Years
|
|
Culinary Arts
|
396 hours+
|
2-3 years
|
Northwest Carpenter’s Institute (NWCI) Carpenters Apprenticeship
Cindy Gaudio Coordinator, training@nwci.org
King County Carpenters
P. O. Box 2020, Renton, WA 98056-4195
Contact: (425) 235-2465
https://www.nwci.org/northwest-carpenters-institute-of-washington/
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Carpenters |
640 hours + |
4 years |
| Residential Carpenters |
640 hours + |
4 years |
| Scaffold Erector |
640 hours + |
4 years |
Northwest Carpenter’s Institute (NWCI) Lathing, Acoustical, Drywall Systems (LADS) Apprenticeship
Nate Diller, Coordinator, NDiller@nwci.org
Carpenters Specialty Training Center
20474 72nd Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032
Contact: (253) 437-5235, training@nwci.org
https://www.nwci.org/northwest-carpenters-institute-of-washington/
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Acoustical Applicator |
640hours |
4 years |
| Drywall System Installer |
640hours |
4 years |
| Leather |
640hours |
4 years |
| Residential Drywall Applicator |
360 hours |
3 years |
Northwest Carpenter’s Institute (NWCI) Millwrights and Pile Drivers Apprenticeship
Nate Diller, Coordinator, NDiller@nwci.org
Carpenters Specialty Training Center
20474 72nd Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032
Contact: (253) 437-5235, training@nwci.orgtraining@nwci.org
https://www.nwci.org/northwest-carpenters-institute-of-washington/
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Millwright |
640 hours |
4 years |
| Pile Driver |
640 hours |
4 years |
MITAGS
Jenny Pitzen, Student Instructional Services Manager
1729 Alaskan Way South, Seattle, WA 98134
Contact: (206) 739-0720
mitags-pmi.org
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch |
811 hours |
2 years |
| Pile Driver |
640 hours |
4 years |
Seattle Area Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers JATC
Brian Kinsman, Coordinator
Renton Technical College
3000 NE Fourth Street, Bldg. L, Renton, WA 98056-4195
Contact: (425) 235-7827
https://wwwAsbestoslocal7insulators.org/
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Heat and Frost Insulator/Asbestos Worker |
800 hours |
5 years |
| Fire Stop Containment Worker |
480 hours |
4 years |
Seattle Area Roofers Apprenticeship Committee
Anthony Bergeson, Director, Tony@rooferslocal54.com
30245 148th Ave South East, Kent, WA 98042
Contact: (206) 728-2777
https://www.rooferslocal54.com/
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Roofer |
168 hours |
2 years |
Western Washington Plasterers JATC
Rosie Bernard, Director
Renton Technical College
3000 NE Fourth Street, Bldg. E, Renton, WA 98056-4195
Contact: (425) 235-7879
https://www.lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/apprenticeship/_docs/0106.pdf
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Plasterer |
504 hours + |
4 years |
Western Washington Stationary Engineers Apprenticeship Committee
Andrea Major, Training Coordinator
18 E St. S.W., Auburn, WA 98001
Contact: (253) 351-0184
lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Apprenticeship/files/standards/0227.pdf
iuoe286.org
| Program |
Hours |
Years |
| Facilities Custodial Technician |
144hours + |
2 years |
| Facilities Maintenance Mechanic |
144hours + |
4 years |
| Stationary Engineer |
576hours |
4 years |
Multi-Occupational Trades Degree
General Occupational Degree
Associate of Applied Science Degree
This degree is an option for apprentices who have completed a specific, RTC-affiliated apprenticeship program of at least 432 classroom hours and 6,000 on-the-job training hours in construction and machining trades. The following programs are eligible:
Completion of a registered apprenticeship program affiliated with Renton Technical College, including documentation such as apprenticeship completion certificate from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
See a counselor if you have transferable credits from other colleges.
Requirements for Degree
General Education Suggestions for Carpenters, CWU Transfer Option
Carpenters apprentices can take advantage of RTC’s special agreement with Central Washington University (CWU) and their Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology and Administrative Management (BAS-ITAM), with a Project Management specialization.
-
Related instruction CARP classes can earn up to 45 lower-division credits.
-
Apprentice work hours earn 14 credits of upper-division internship and elective credits.
-
General Education classes add 15 to 20 lower-division credits, depending on the level of mathematics completed.
The following classes are recommended for the AAS degree for the best transfer experience (at least 74 total credits towards the 180 required for the BAS degree). CWU requires a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher for these four classes to qualify for their agreement.
Interested carpenters apprentices can learn more about the CWU ITAM partnership by speaking with an academic counselor or adviser.
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Credits
|
|
|
Apprenticeship Hours
|
70
|
|
AMATH 175
|
Financial Math or another General Education Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning math class (may be waived if program includes sufficient classroom hours in mathematics)
|
5
|
|
PSYC& 100
|
General Psychology or another General Education Social Science class
|
5
|
|
CMST& 101
|
Introduction to Communication or another General Education Humanities class
|
5
|
|
COMP 100
|
Applied Composition or ENGL& 101 English Composition
|
5
|
|
|
Total
|
90
|
|
|
Please see the detailed Multi-Occupational Trades, AAS for class recommendations
|
|
Use this instead, already in the catalog:
General Occupational Degree
Associate of Applied Science Degree: 90 credits
This degree is an option for apprentices who have graduated from Renton Technical College in apprenticeship programs of at least 432 classroom hours and 6,000 on-the-job training hours in construction and machining trades. The following programs are eligible:
|
Carpenters
|
Pile Drivers
|
|
Fire Stop Containment Workers
|
Plasterers
|
|
LADS
|
|
|
Millwrights
|
|
Requirements
Completion of a registered apprenticeship program affiliated with Renton Technical College, including documentation such as apprenticeship completion certificate from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
Apprentices may need to meet residency requirements (a certain percentage or number of credits completed at RTC). Apprentices may begin taking general education coursework before, during, or after their apprenticeship.
See a counselor if you have transferable credits from other colleges.
Program Requirements
General Education Requirements for AAS Degree
These are the standard requirements for the Associate of Applied Science.
General Education Suggestions for Carpenters, CWU Transfer Option
Carpenters apprentices can take advantage of RTC’s special agreement with Central Washington University (CWU) and their Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology and Administrative Management (BAS-ITAM), with a Project Management specialization.
-
Related instruction CARP classes can earn up to 45 lower-division credits.
-
Apprentice work hours earn 14 credits of upper-division internship and elective credits.
-
General Education classes add 15 to 20 lower-division credits, depending on the level of mathematics completed.
The following classes are recommended for the AAS degree for the best transfer experience (at least 74 total credits towards the 180 required for the BAS degree). CWU requires a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher for these four classes to qualify for their agreement.
Interested carpenters apprentices can learn more about the CWU ITAM partnership by speaking with an academic counselor or adviser.
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