myCanvas / myCourses 
Blue Ridge Community College plumbing apprentice Seth Wilson works on site at T.P. Howard’s Plumbing Company, Inc. (Photo by Rich Keen, Marketing and Communications Dept.)
This article was first published in the 2022-2023 Annual Report.
The prevailing message we hear from industry leaders is that the demand for skilled trades workers outpaces supply. Blue Ridge Community College continues to leverage and innovate apprenticeships as a valuable strategy to bring qualified professionals to the field.
Apprentices Bailey Fox and Seth Wilson recently joined the Apprenticeship Blue Ridge program, which allows eligible high school graduates and adult learners to earn a living wage both in the classroom and on the job while learning a skilled trade.
After completing his first year at a traditional four-year college, 20-year-old Bailey said he decided to make a U-turn with his future.
“Traditional college just wasn’t for me,” he explained. “One of the best things I’ve learned at Blue Ridge is that you don’t have to go one certain way in life; there are many paths to success.”
Bailey is studying plumbing in partnership with T.P. Howard’s Plumbing Company, Inc., allowing classroom education to occur in tandem with hands-on learning in the field, full-time employment experience and the benefit of a regular paycheck. The goal for students like Bailey is to be equipped with the skills and competencies to successfully continue their careers alongside their apprenticeship employer.
The program is maturing at a time when industry demand for skilled trades is at its height. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are currently only 72 workers available for every 100 open jobs. Meanwhile, a proprietary model developed by Associated Builders and Contractors shows that in 2024, the industry will need to source at least 342,000 additional new workers beyond normal hiring to avoid building backlogs.
Wilson hopes to capitalize on industry needs after initially considering a business degree at a traditional liberal arts school.
“I got accepted to all of the colleges where I applied, but I ended up not going because I didn’t want to go into debt,” he explained.
Seth said Apprenticeship Blue Ridge has not only been extremely effective in preparing him for technical aspects of the job, but has also taught him other critical facets of a business, such as collaboration, communication and problem-solving.
“There are never perfect instructions when you show up at a job. You have to troubleshoot and understand how systems work, and you have to communicate with business owners, general contractors and professionals in just about every trade,” he said. “I feel like this program has really given me a head start.”
Learn more at www.blueridge.edu/apprenticeships.