How To Leverage the NCSG Apprenticeship Program

How to Leverage the NCSG Apprenticeship Program

By Jacob Conklin, Apprenticeship Development and Expansion Manager, Equus Workforce Solutions

As a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG), you have access to the recently approved nationally registered NCSG Apprenticeship Program. This two-year, comprehensive program is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides a structured pathway for training new employees and enhancing your workforce.

This program is an NCSG member benefit available at no additional cost for you. When you register an apprentice into the program, the NCSG is reimbursed up to $571 per apprentice, which is reinvested into the NCSG’s educational programs like virtual reality, hands-on training classes, and certifications.

Moreover, there are a number of states that offer grant money, tax credits, and other incentives to employers for hiring apprentices. While not every state offers these financial incentives, there may still be local funding available at centers known as One-Stops. Each state has a different name for their One-Stop, but they can be found in multiple locations in every state. These centers offer funding that can be used to help with hiring or training costs associated with the apprenticeship.

The Difference Between Apprentices and Regular Employees

According to the approved standards of the NCSG Apprenticeship Program, an apprentice is an individual with less than two years of experience as a chimney sweep and lacking the proper certification to be sent on a job on their own. In other words, the difference between an apprentice and a new hire or your current staff may simply be their job title.

The other major difference is that an apprentice is enrolled in a verified and vetted national- or state-approved training program that will provide a nationally-recognized certificate(s)/certification(s) that is accepted by any employer in the industry. As a company, this means you went through a process to ensure your training standards are legitimate and in the best interest of a new employee to your company.

The NCSG Apprenticeship Program provides this exact framework and standards you need to implement the apprenticeship program with your state government, fasttracking the process.

To learn more, please contact Jacob Conklin at jacob.conklin@equusworks.com to discuss how to register the program in your state and tap into funding that will support your company and apprentices. Jacob works for Equus Workforce Solutions, which has partnered with the NCSG to expand the apprenticeship program, and he is already working with several state and local guilds to approve the program in their areas. ■