Trine looks to expand teacher apprenticeship program
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Trine University has been awarded a $30,000 Indiana Department of Workforce Development grant to expand its teacher apprenticeship program and begin developing a similar pathway for prospective principals.
The northeast Indiana school launched its Trine Education Apprenticeship Model, in 2022. This year it was approved as a Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program through the U.S. Department of Labor.
Students enrolled in registered apprenticeship programs receive classroom-based experience and mentorship while earning a wage, part of an approach to recruit and train future educators.
“We know that Registered Apprenticeship Programs are a key strategy to creating a robust pipeline of Hoosier talent that positively impacts Indiana’s economic strength,” said Jason Graves, a senior director of work-based learning with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
The grant will help Trine University expand its apprenticeship program to more areas of the state through additional partnerships with school districts, further program promotion and outreach, and targeted recruitment of underrepresented groups in education, the university said in a news release.
Trine offers three licensure tracks for teacher candidates: an elementary program, a secondary program, and a special education program. And upon completion of the 10-month program, teacher candidates are only 12 credit hours away from earning a master’s degree in education at Trine University.
The state grant also will help support the university’s effort to develop a registered principal apprenticeship program, Trine said.
“The education and training landscape for principals has evolved significantly in recent years, yet there remains a persistent shortage of qualified school leaders,” said Amy Heavin, director of Trine’s teaching apprenticeship program. “By creating an apprenticeship model for the principalship, building-level leaders will learn while doing the work with mentorship support and coursework.”
Trine said it plans to research existing principal apprenticeship programs elsewhere before developing its own approach.