After five successful years of operating as the Arkansas Center for Data Sciences, the nonprofit organization is rebranding and expanding its reach under the new name Apprenticely. Since its establishment in 2019, Apprenticely has been dedicated to growing the IT workforce in Arkansas through registered apprenticeships.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Bill Yoder, Apprenticely has worked with over 150 employers in Arkansas to create over 1,000 registered apprenticeships, resulting in an annual economic impact of over $70 million in new wages. Encouraged by its success in the IT sector, the organization has now expanded its focus to include industries such as advanced manufacturing, energy, transportation, and healthcare.
In 2024, Apprenticely added 10 new states to its network through partnerships with nationally recognized companies to build apprenticeship programs. The new name reflects the organization’s evolving role in workforce development and its commitment to providing career opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Apprenticely aims to provide a non-traditional path to successful careers for job seekers, a supplementary staffing strategy for employers, and a way to grow the workforce for communities. The organization collaborates with key partners including Arkansas Workforce Connections, the Arkansas Department of Education, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to further its mission of expanding the workforce in Arkansas and beyond.
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