Apprenticeship

Preparing businesses for tomorrow means building a skilled workforce today which is why the Builders Association of North Central Florida (BANCF) proudly sponsors the BANCF Apprenticeship Program to help businesses recruit, train, and retain skilled workers across the trades.

The BANCF Apprenticeship Program, registered by the Florida Department of Education, is an association sponsored and employer driven model that incorporates an “earn while you learn” style of combining on-the-job training (OJT) with related classroom instruction. This allows apprentices to earn wages while learning trade skills to better prepare the trades for future needs, growth, and enhancing the bottom line.

Program Started:  2007

Counties Covered: Alachua, Levy, Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette, Madison, Taylor, Suwannee, and Hamilton

Program Sponsor: BANCF is a non-profit corporation that is made up of participating employers (trade contractors) and partnering organization (businesses and individuals).

Program Overview:

• Trades include Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing (4 years), and Carpentry and Building Maintenance (2 years)
• Apprentices spend 2,000 hours per year in on-the-job training.
  • 8,000 OJT hours /650 instructional hours (4 years) and 4,000 OJT hours / 425 inst. hours (2 years).
• Apprentices attend classes two nights a week at Santa Fe College during the fall and spring semesters for 156 hours of educational instruction.
• Starting pay is based on 55% of the current journeyman rate in a trade with raises of 5% of that rate given for every 1,000 hours of OJT (approximately every 6 months).
• Tuition is paid for by the participating employer sponsoring the apprentice.

Program Curriculum:

• Plumbing, HVAC and Carpentry uses the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) curriculum.
• Electrical uses Mike Holt Enterprises curriculum.
• Building Maintenance uses Home Builders Institute (HBI) curriculum.

Program Requirements:

• Apprentices:
  • Must be at least 18 years old.
  • Must work for a participating employer.
• Employer:
  • Must be a member of BANCF.
  • Must be registered with the State.

Program Rewards:

• Journey Worker Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from the Apprenticeship Section, Florida Department of Education, Division of Workforce Development.
• Co-op Industrial Education Certificate from Santa Fe College.
• Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from BANCF.
• NCCER Completion Certificates for Plumbing, HVAC and Carpentry, Mike Holt Enterprises Certificate for Electrical and HBI Completion Certificates for Building Maintenance.
• OSHA 10 for all students