(BPT) - Over half of Americans (55%) now in the workforce will be looking for a new position over the next year, according to a survey from Bankrate.com. For the many Americans seeking new employment during this Great Resignation the hardest part can be finding opportunities to learn a new trade without going into debt. And that’s a concern for many job candidates whether they are recent grads, military members returning to civilian life, or those leaving unstable or low-paying jobs.
The environmental company, Republic Services, is putting students' needs first by reinventing how they address the challenge to grow their talent pipeline. Their industry-first, Republic Services Technical Institute, in Dallas, TX offers tuition-free education to students who qualify as they complete 12 weeks of training. After which, is 21 months of on-the-job training at one of their 180 business units nationwide. Students will receive:
* Full-time, paid, in-shop training throughout the program
* Company-provided relocation, housing and travel expenses
* A toolbox stocked with tools
Students will commit to work for the company for two years after the training and apprenticeship are completed. And the best part? Anyone can apply for the two-year program, without any prior knowledge or experience as a mechanic or technician.
The company partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor and Lincoln Tech to create the cutting-edge curriculum. And the program’s home includes a brand-new building with two labs and high-tech classrooms. The institute goes beyond technical training to educate the whole student, providing life skills education such as financial management, emotional intelligence, and mental wellness.
"This is an investment in people, further demonstrating our commitment to being the place where the best people come to work," said Jon Vander Ark, president and CEO of Republic Services. "We look forward to welcoming new graduates as they contribute to our highly trained workforce, increasing the reliability and consistency of our customer experience."
Diversity and Inclusion:
The company is also looking to train and hire a more diverse and inclusive workforce both for their technician and driver positions.
As an example, while women currently make up only a small percentage of the waste and recycling workforce, Republic Services is working to change that through its She Drives initiative. This initiative seeks to broaden the driver candidate pool and increase the number of women hired for driver positions. And just one year into the initiative, the hiring rate of women drivers increased by one-third, placing Republic Services above the national average.
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"I'm proud to say that I've been in the vocational educational industry for more than two decades and I've never seen this level of commitment to bringing on new talent by leadership," said Misty Ross, director of the Republic Services Technical Institute and a U.S. Air Force veteran. "The financial commitment of $35,000 per student is fully covered by Republic, which will have a lasting impact as we develop the next generation of diesel technicians."
To learn more and to apply for the program, visit www.RepublicServices.com/Tech-Institute.