Agreement aims to increase minority-owned business apprenticeships

Listen to this article

Apprenticeship Carolina and the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs have signed an agreement aimed at increasing minority-owned business participation in statewide apprenticeship programs.  

“We strive to provide innovative and constructive solutions in support of ethnic minority communities,” Delores Dacosta, executive director of the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs, said in a news release. “This agreement will help connect minority-owned businesses with the many opportunities available through Apprenticeship Carolina as well as direct them to grants and other funding opportunities to help offset training costs.” 

Apprenticeship Carolina, part of the SC Technical College System, promotes registered youth, adult and pre-apprenticeships. Since its inception in 2007, participation in internships statewide has grown from 90 organizations to more than 1,150, with the number of apprentices increasing from 777 to nearly 37,000, according to the release.  

“Apprenticeship Carolina has worked diligently for more than a decade to expand the use of registered apprenticeship in the state. We are thrilled to partner with the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs to drive further growth and diversity of programs across South Carolina,” Amy Firestone, vice president for Apprenticeship Carolina, said. “We know that a registered apprenticeship program is an effective and proven workforce development tool. It's an opportunity to develop talent, enhance quality and build relationships that can benefit both the apprentice and the organization for years to come.”