Apprenticeship Programs Provide Pathways to Good-Paying Jobs

On November 15, at Borough of Manhattan Community College’s Fiterman Hall, more than 100 city officials, corporate leaders and educators filled the 14^th floor conference room for the 2023 National Apprenticeship Week – New York City Event Brief.

The early evening gathering celebrated companies who participate in apprenticeship programs while also raising awareness among the business community members—specifically those who may be considering apprenticeships as part of their talent recruitment strategy—of the transformative, tangible benefits such programs provide.

In addition to BMCC, the event was organized by the companies Accenture, Aon and Zurich North America as well as the New York Jobs CEO Council (Jobs Council).

Speakers and presenters included Zurich North America’s Chief Operating Officer for National Accounts Jeff Gallimore, Jobs Council Chief Learning Officer Karrin Wilks and BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe.

In his welcoming remarks, BMCC President Anthony E. Munroe told the group that BMCC was committed to the opportunity apprenticeships provide.

“At BMCC, we are committed to creating exciting career pathways that help our students connect their education to career goals in ways that will offer them opportunities to sustain their families and build our economy,” said BMCC President Munroe. “These apprenticeships opportunities are key to ensuring that students develop industry and market-specific skills.”

The President said BMCC is working to develop new and innovative learning experiences that are tailored to what students, employers and markets need and increase economic mobility.

“The collaboration between CUNY, BMCC, the New York Jobs CEO Council, and its member companies represents an important resource and accelerator for our students in making these connections to their education and career goals,” said President Munroe.

The presentations closed with Jobs Council Executive Director Kiersten Barnet moderating a panel discussion between; Abby Jo Sigal, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent & Workforce Development; Julia Backon, Executive Director, Tech for Social Good & Youth Apprenticeship Leadership, JPMorgan Chase; and Professor Mahatapa Palit, Chair of the Business Department at BMCC.

The panelists agreed that apprenticeships can play a role in closing skills gaps and creating new opportunities through alternative career pathways. They applauded public-private partnerships that are helping the city reach New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ North Star goal of 30,000 apprenticeships by 2030.

A goal of 25,000 family-sustaining jobs for CUNY students

The New York Jobs CEO Council, which started in 2020, has worked closely with CUNY colleges including BMCC to embed credit-bearing and paid apprenticeships into associate degree programs in technology and business tracks, and create pathways into family-sustaining jobs at partner companies.

The 30 companies at the Jobs Council are committed to creating 100,000 jobs for low-income New Yorkers by 2030 with at least 25,000 of those going to CUNY students.

“Our role from the beginning has been to bring the partnerships between these companies and colleges to fruition, and when we asked colleges who wanted to participate, BMCC, which already had existing apprenticeship programs with Aon and Zurich, was among the first to raise its hand,” said Wilks. “This is a way to advance equity, diversify the workforce of companies and also to allow students to earn credit for work and have it embedded in their degree.”

She pointed out that a significant number of New York City-based corporations have traditionally gone to the top ten or so elite institutions in the country to recruit new incoming talent instead of looking in their own backyards. From the beginning, the Jobs Council has worked closely with CUNY to create career pathways to in-demand jobs.

“One of the ancillary benefits to these apprenticeship programs is the way companies rethink the way they look at CUNY as well as its community colleges such as BMCC and see them as the talent pools they are,” said Wilks.

In addition to Aon and Zurich, BMCC has formed apprenticeship program partnerships with TransRe, AIG, Ernst and Young, and JPMorgan Chase.

“Since the Fall 2020 semester, over a three year period, our partnerships have grown to include six companies where 129 students have benefitted from such opportunities,” said Sharon Reid, Director of Internships and Experiential Learning at BMCC.

Apprenticeships lead to stronger workplace skills training and full-time jobs

BMCC Business Administration major Sue Almonte, who grew up in Washington Heights, began an apprenticeship this past August with JPMorgan Chase. Almonte said that in the short time since she started, she’s expanded her skill set from Excel, Word and PowerPoint to learning Tableau and Python.

“My mentors have given me multiple opportunities to work on projects, analyze data and present to different departments,” said Almonte. “The experience has made me more fluent in data analytics, project management and presentations.”

Almonte, who graduates BMCC in summer 2024 and will automatically be enrolled in Baruch College, CUNY through the BMCC/Baruch Business Academy, is grateful to JPMorgan Chase for the opportunity and the stronger skill set she’s developing, which will help to expand her career options and unlock future opportunities.

A few years earlier in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Business Management major Kennedy Ehiwe, who grew up in Nigeria and now lives in the Bronx, started an apprenticeship at Aon. In just two years, he grew from being a novice in the field of insurance to being hired full time as an Associate Broker.

“One of the standout aspects of my experience is the commitment to continuous learning. Aon provides comprehensive learning materials, coupled with biweekly departmental training, which have been instrumental in facilitating a seamless transition into the role of a Broker,” said Ehiwe. “This commitment to ongoing education has not only enhanced my professional acumen but has also played a pivotal role in my rapid advancement within the company.”

As an Associate Broker, Ehiwe specializes in marketing and brokering financial lines including employment practices liability and fiduciary insurance.

“I’ve had the privilege of participating in industry discussions, speaking on panels and showcasing my public speaking abilities,” said Ehiwe. “I also represented my Toastmasters Club and achieved first place in the local contest and second in the regional for 2023. And, I was invited to participate in the 2024 Leadership and Mentoring Program (LAMP) cohorts at the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS).”

Ehiwe says the availability of apprenticeship programs such as the one at BMCC, exemplifies the College’s dedication to providing students with real-world work experiences that seamlessly integrate into their academic pursuits.

A better understanding of apprenticeship benefits

The corporate organizers for the November BMCC event say they hope attendees left with a better understanding of how apprenticeship programs connect talent and business in mutually beneficial ways by playing a critical role in closing the skills gap, and better preparing people for the professional roles of the future.

Meghan Parrilla, who is Vice President of Global Early Careers at Aon, said leaders and management at the company view its apprenticeship program as a critical piece of the company’s talent pipeline and have invested $30 million over five years in building out its apprenticeship network.

“We have witnessed that our apprentices thrive when they have support at all levels within the company as well as their education,” said McGarvey. “BMCC has been an instrumental part of advancing the apprenticeship model in New York City.  We recommend that other companies work with BMCC as an educational partner to provide support for apprentices as they pursue the higher education component of their apprenticeship program.”

Accenture’s North America Inclusion & Diversity Talent Partnership Lead Jennifer Malach said the company’s North America Apprenticeship program is vital in its mission to close current skills gaps and a future in which all workers have the motivation, means and opportunity to thrive in a digital future.

“It was an honor to have BMCC host the NY Apprenticeship Network during National Apprenticeship Week to celebrate this opportunity and help employers who are hiring in New York City learn more about how they can leverage professional apprenticeships as part of their early hiring and talent strategies, and access great talent from CUNY schools,” said Malach.

Director of Apprenticeship at Zurich North America Jillian Walsh said apprenticeship in New York City would not be where it is today without BMCC.

“The administration recognized this model could create a clear path to good jobs with global businesses that need talent with diverse perspectives and in-demand skills,” said Walsh.

In February 2020, Zurich and BMCC began working together to launch the College’s first degree-based apprenticeship curriculum. BMCC Director of Internships and Experiential Learning Sharon Reid and Business Management Chair Mahatapa Palit moved the apprenticeship initiative forward despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic.

“Zurich collaborated with Professor Palit to launch a degree-based specialization in Risk Management and Insurance,” said Walsh. “The success of the BMCC apprenticeship curriculum, offered online during the pandemic, enabled Zurich to expand its apprenticeship program to 10 additional states. Zurich has had a total of 58 BMCC apprentices across four cohorts.”

She says apprenticeship programs are building brighter futures for many students.

Kennedy Ehiwe calls his journey at Aon from apprentice to Associate Broker extraordinary and he hopes more companies will create or expand their apprenticeship models.

“This comprehensive approach not only addresses the needs of students but also aligns with broader societal goals of creating a skilled and diverse workforce,” said Ehiwe. “The expansion of apprenticeship programs presents a holistic solution with far-reaching benefits for individuals, educational institutions and the economy at large.”