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Palmer Pathways becomes a State-Recognized Apprenticeship Preparation Program

Updated: Apr 19, 2021


In February 2021, Palmer Scholars applied to the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council (WSATC) to have our Palmer Pathways initiative recognized as a formal Apprenticeship Preparation program. At the Council’s quarterly meeting in April, our request was approved unanimously with very strong endorsements from Chairman Mark Riker and Vice-Chairman Ron Storvick. This recognition will be integral in propelling the young adults Palmer Pathways serves into apprenticeship, additional education, and quality family-wage employment!


“This is great. This is the right stuff…you’re helping us solve a problem that we need help solving, and your timing couldn’t be better. I’ll be voting for this as enthusiastically as I possibly can!” – Mark Riker, Chairman, WSATC.


Palmer Pathways is a two-year-old initiative of Palmer Scholars that serves young adults who experience barriers to attaining gainful and meaningful employment. In its first year, Palmer Pathways staff facilitated the program in a completely virtual environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lessons learned from this first cohort inspired the research and development of Palmer Pathways’ second iteration as a multi-path construction-focused pre-apprenticeship model.


Palmer Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship Model



“Pre-apprenticeship recognition rings in a new era for young adults in our community – equitable access to construction trade career opportunities. We are grateful for our partners, Advisory Board, and teammates who played critical roles in the redesign efforts. The PPPA is a program formed from focus, drive, intentionality, and most importantly – heart.” -Christina Rupp, Director of Postsecondary Pathways, Palmer Scholars


Palmer Pathways staff sought input from industry leaders, created the Palmer Pathways Advisory Board, and formed partnerships with service providers, unions, and businesses to create a success pipeline for young adults moving through the Pathways initiative.

Equipped with WSATC’s recognition, the Palmer Pathways team is ready to launch the Palmer Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship program (PPPA). PPPA will guide young adults through six weeks of training that includes career exploration, soft skills development, safety training and physical conditioning, and foundational construction trades knowledge. Scholars then choose to move directly into employment, enroll in a postsecondary institution, or continue on to PPPA’s eight-week intensive, construction trades pre-apprenticeship training, building on the first six weeks’ learning with the goal of preparing them for entry into a full-blown apprenticeship program. Young adults who complete the PPPA program will have preferred or direct entry into a number of partner apprenticeship programs, including the Western Washington Masonry Trades Apprenticeship, Pierce County Roofer’s Apprenticeship, Ironworkers Local 86 JATC and the NW Laborers Apprenticeship.


“Seeking pre-apprenticeship recognition was a huge step toward establishing the necessary partnerships to ensure our Scholars are able to attain gainful employment after they complete our training. We are beyond excited for what this means for young adults in our community, and for the future of our local workforce!” -Jonathan Jackson, Executive Director, Palmer Scholars


We aim to welcome our next cohort in September 2021, with a second cohort beginning in Spring 2022.


 

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Palmer Scholars acknowledges that our work is carried out on, and our office space is located within, occupied Coast Salish land, specifically that of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. We pay respect to Coast Salish Elders past and present and extend that respect to their descendants and to all Indigenous peoples. To acknowledge this land is to recognize its longer history and our place in that history; it is to recognize these lands and waters and their significance for the peoples who lived and continue to live in this region, whose practices and spiritualties were and are tied to the land and the water, and whose lives continue to enrich and develop in relationship to the land, waters, and other inhabitants today.

 

We also pause to recognize and acknowledge the labor upon which our country, state, and institutions are built.

We remember that our country is built on the labor of enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the U.S. from the African continent and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We also acknowledge all immigrant labor, including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples who contributed to the building of the country and continue to serve within our labor force. We acknowledge all unpaid care-giving labor.

 

To the people who contributed this immeasurable work and their descendants, we acknowledge our/their indelible mark on the spaces in which we operate today. It is our collective responsibility to critically interrogate these histories, to repair harm, and to honor, protect, and sustain this land.

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4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW BLDG 16

Lakewood WA 98499-4004

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Tricia Speid (CEO) (253) 617-5676

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PO Box 7119, Tacoma, WA 98417

Email - info@palmerscholars.org

To contact someone directly visit our staff page here: Our Team

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