HCC Apprenticeship programs combine paid, hands-on work experience with classroom learning and mentorship, preparing students for careers in high-demand fields like health care, construction and logistics while earning college credit, said Christina Robinson, executive director of work-based learning and industry partnerships at HCC.
Employers and apprentices discussed how these programs are evolving to meet industry demands, expand access to real-world training and support economic growth in the Houston area at the April 30 National Apprenticeship Day event hosted by HCC's Felix Fraga Academic Campus.
“All of these changes just took place,” Robinson said. “But it couldn't be a better time to be in [an] apprenticeship.”
What’s changing?
On April 23, President Donald Trump signed two executive orders expanding apprenticeships in artificial intelligence and skilled trades, Robinson said, though she did not say when HCC would be able to access the funds.
Robinson said highlights include:
- A goal of adding 1 million AI-related, skilled trade apprenticeships
- $400 million in new apprenticeship funding for fiscal year 2025, scaling to $800 million by FY 2029
- A new AI Education Task Force to shape national AI curriculum
- Expanded financial aid eligibility for apprenticeships, recognizing them as degree-equivalent pathways
Robinson said employers should build apprenticeship programs around important skills or update them to include AI tools—especially since AI is playing a bigger role in healthcare and tech—if they want to qualify for upcoming grants.
Major takeaways
Summer Reeves, senior director of technical workforce solutions for the Greater Houston Partnership, said apprenticeships challenge outdated hiring practices that overly rely on degrees, considering that companies are already providing training not present in college curriculums.
“We've got a degree, but we still have to train them, because there's things that are specific to us and specific to our company,” Reeves said. “There's really not always a big lift to start getting started in apprenticeships, because a lot of times you're already doing a lot of [the training].
Several HCC students echoed this sentiment, crediting the apprenticeship model for offering real-world pathways that traditional college or job markets failed to provide.
“I wanted to get into [information technology], but every entry-level job required experience I didn’t have,” said Tobi Djamasi, an IT apprentice at Tanches Global Management Inc. “[HCC apprenticeships] gave me both the skills and the experience at the same time.”
How it works
Businesses can partner with HCC’s Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub to identify funding sources and connect with HCC students as apprentice candidates, Robinson said.
Student Idalia Aguilar, a freight forwarding apprentice for logistics company Fracht Group, said HCC apprenticeships are full-time positions split between on-the-job training and classroom instruction, adding that “no two days are the same.”
After the two-year program, Aguilar will receive an HCC associate degree, an apprenticeship certificate from the Department of Labor and a potential job offer at Fracht Group, she said.
Student Scott Diaz, a management consultant associate apprentice at IT company Accenture, said the combination of academic and real-world experience has allowed him to establish support networks and mentors within his company and HCC.
“I have to balance out my workload at work,” Diaz said. “It's not very easy. I have a tremendous amount of support through, not only the apprentice program, [but] all of my leaders and all of my associates I work with.”
Another thing
Robinson said apprenticeships are expanding across age groups, particularly as experienced workers transition into different industries.
Diaz said he had an established career in sales before HCC guidance counselors advised him that his background could be applied to transition into the technology industry.
“I have spent so much time as a salesperson trying to develop those skills, [but] there's a lot of gatekeeping,” Diaz said. “I reached the point where I said I can only do so much by myself.”
Next steps
Employers interested in launching or joining an apprenticeship program can visit www.hccs.edu/apprenticeship to fill out a form and be connected with a Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub coordinator who will guide them through a streamlined setup process, Robinson said.
Robinson said she recognizes funding is often a hurdle for employers, but the college’s Talent Solutions Team combines federal and state grants that would apply to the employers’ size or industry.
