CYA — Check on Your Apprentices If you want people to stick around, you have to keep them engaged, supported and connected. As the director of the Construction Industry Training Council of Colorado (CITC), I’ve spent years watching new apprentices enter this industry, eager to build their future — literally. Apprenticeship has always been a proven pathway to a rewarding, well-paying career without the crushing burden of student loan debt. And yet, even with all the opportunities we offer, our industry still wrestles with an uncomfortable truth: Too many apprentices don’t make it past the first couple of years. We see the excitement on day one: fresh boots, new tools, big ambitions. But by the end of the first year, 25% of new apprentices have already walked away. By the second year, that number creeps closer to 50%. I’ve been around long enough to know that not everyone is cut out for this work. Construction requires intelligence, creativity, stamina and resilience. But it nags at me that so many give up before they’ve had a chance to succeed. So what’s going on? Why are we losing them? And more importantly, what can we do about it? By CORI GERLITZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Construction Industry Training Council of Colorado 44
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