Partners in Apprenticeship
In Central Washington, apprenticeships are doing more than filling skills gaps, they’re transforming lives, strengthening communities, and building a workforce that’s ready for the demands of tomorrow’s economy. As a local Workforce Development Board, SkillSource plays a dual role: we connect, fund, and support individuals pursuing apprenticeships, and we help create new apprenticeship programs alongside employers, labor partners, and education providers. Whether it’s a young adult learning computer skills, someone reentering the workforce through a barbering apprenticeship, or a cohort of high schoolers launching into manufacturing careers, apprenticeships are delivering real opportunities in real time.
What SkillSource Does
As the local Workforce Development Board serving Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan counties, SkillSource is uniquely positioned to:
- Recruit and prepare participants, including youth, adults, and justice-involved individuals
- Support apprenticeships financially, using federal and state funds like WIOA and the Community Reinvestment Project to cover tuition, tools, and wraparound supports
- Collaborate and connect with business to build infrastructure and increase capacity and make apprenticeships responsive to industry needs
We are not just referring people into apprenticeships. SkillSource helps in building the infrastructure and providing the human scaffolding that supports success.
Examples of Impact
Darryl – Barbering a New Path
After incarceration, Darryl needed more than a job, he needed a chance to rebuild. Through SkillSource support and a registered apprenticeship at The Man’s Shop in Wenatchee, he gained skills, structure, and purpose. Today, he’s got new transferrable skills, is employed, and proud to be earning an honest living.
🔗 Read his story
Genie Youth Apprenticeship Program – Manufacturing Momentum
In Moses Lake, SkillSource helped launch a youth apprenticeship pipeline in partnership with Genie Industries and local schools. Six high school students signed on as apprentices, and one of them, Mario, turned that opportunity into full-time employment.
🔗 More on the Genie youth apprentices
🔗 Mario’s success story
Veterinary Apprenticeship Program – A First for Washington
In partnership with Cascade Veterinary Clinics and the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, SkillSource helped launch the nation’s first registered apprenticeship for veterinary technicians. This innovative program responds directly to industry need while creating a clear, supportive pathway into a high-demand healthcare-adjacent field. Apprentices receive paid, hands-on training while progressing toward credentialed vet tech roles—an especially powerful model in rural regions where access to education and talent is limited.
Ayden & Noah – Tech Talent from Within
With Career Connect Washington funding and in collaboration with the Wenatchee School District and local labor partners, SkillSource helped create a new registered apprenticeship program for Computer Technician I roles. As part of that effort, SkillSource became a training agent and now serves on the Wenatchee School District’s apprenticeship committee, with staff representing both labor and management. Two apprentices have already launched their careers through this program: Noah, who completed his apprenticeship and was hired by the school district, and Ayden, who is currently gaining hands-on experience at SkillSource. These aren’t theoretical pathways, they’re real, locally developed solutions that put people on track for careers in tech.
🔗 Ayden’s story
🔗 Noah’s story
Why It Matters
In rural and semi-urban communities like ours, apprenticeships offer a direct route to family-wage jobs and help employers grow their talent pipeline locally. But access and completion require investment. Through targeted funding and partnership, SkillSource ensures that barriers like transportation or cost don’t derail opportunity.
Workforce Boards like SkillSource are already delivering results. Continued federal support and flexibility are essential to scale what works, especially in regions where labor shortages and opportunity gaps intersect.
Call to Awareness
These stories are just a few examples of what’s happening on the ground. As policymakers continue to debate how to invest in the future of work, Central Washington offers a model that is employer-driven, community-rooted, and equity-centered, designed to meet industry demand while expanding opportunity for all.
