West Valley SD is Leader in Development of Registered Apprenticeship and Wants to Share

West Valley School District is deeply engaged in the development of employer apprenticeships in Yakima County and is recognized as a leader throughout the State of Washington for developing apprenticeships at local aerospace manufacturing sites in the Yakima area. West Valley School District currently holds 9 of the 29 positions on the Yakima Employer Apprenticeship Roundtable, speaking strongly to our commitment to Step 5 of the West Valley 5 Steps to Student Success - Career and College Readiness. 

West Valley had three apprentices last year and has developed more business partnerships in order to provide five apprentice opportunities this year. We are also currently researching and working with agencies in order to establish Childcare as the next Registered Apprenticeship. We also have thoughts on more that are in the pipeline.

Bri Durham of AJAC, Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Council speaking to the group at our meeting this Wednesday on the development of Registered Apprenticeships and the need for more work.

 West Valley SD has 9 of the 29 members of the Yakima Employer Apprenticeship Roundtable, speaking to the commitment we have made in West Valley SD to the development of this great opportunity for our West Valley kids.

 Chris Nesmith on the left, represented West Valley SD in an outstanding fashion as a member of the panel who answered questions during the closing Q&A Session. Chris is Innovations and Futures Director for West Valley SD, and has been credited with the development of the model for Washington State Apprentice Programs in working collaboratively with Tacoma Public Schools CTE Director John Page, the Governor's Office, and the Washington Workforce Council among others.

The panel answering questions from the attendees at the Wednesday meeting on the development of Apprenticeship Programs in Washington State and the need for more initiative in this area. We are proud of our work in West Valley and are doing what we can to continue to serve as the model for Washington State, as well as reach out to other districts so that they can replicate our model.

GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN WEST VALLEY!