BUTLER TWP — Business leaders Wednesday night had an opportunity to learn about an increasingly popular way to train new workers.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor were at Butler County Community College to speak about apprenticeship programs.

“This is a ‘learn while you earn’ format,” said Steve Myers, an apprenticeship and training representative for the government.

Myers and two of his colleagues spoke about the rising popularity of apprenticeships and the growing fields they are offered in.

“Apprenticeships are something you learned about in school history books,” said Tom Bydlon with the Department of Labor. “But they are still a modern way of learning skills.”

The government approved apprenticeship programs provide a number of benefits to new workers, including set wages, guaranteed safe working conditions and a mentor to teach them a trade.

The program, which can last 1 to 5 years, ends with the new worker gaining journeyman status in a field.

“You learn skills through hands-on work in a chosen field,” Bydlon said. “It’s a combination of schooling and on the job training. It’s a degree in trades.”

Businesses benefit from the program by being able to train new talented workers.

Myers said many businesses are facing an aging workforce, particularly in trade disciplines.

“You need a system to develop and train new workers to replace those highly skilled workers before they walk out the door,” Myers said.

He added this program also reduces absenteeism and increases production by the young workers.

“There initially will be a drop in production while the worker learns the skills, but as the person gains those skills production will increase greatly,” Myers said.

Apprenticeship programs offer an alternative to a college education, but they also can work with community college programs.

Bydlon said many community colleges, including BC3, will grant college credits for apprenticeship programs.

While the program is meant to teach new workers, it also has the intention to have those workers stay with the company after training is complete.

“From Day 1 you are working in the occupation and getting paid,” Bydlon said. “These are not temporary jobs or internships. These are permanent jobs.”

While most people think of careers such as carpentry and other trades as the main source of apprenticeships, Bydlon said there are a number of more modern careers gaining popularity in the training program.

“We have over 1,000 occupations certified for apprenticeships,” he said, noting that aerospace, biotechnology and health care are among the newer career paths.

Christine Mullen with the Department of Labor said the demand for apprenticeships is gaining popularity.

“We used to be the government’s best kept secret,” she said. “That’s no longer the case.”

She said the White House declared this week Apprenticeship Week and had previously set a goal to double the number of apprenticeships in the country by 2020.

Mullen said there are 450,000 apprentices in the country.

Bydlon said the program is available for people of all ages, but has the greatest benefit for young people leaving high school.

“We want to get kids involved at an early age and get them interested,” he said.

One of the event’s organizers, Neil Ashbaugh of Oberg Industries in Buffalo Township, said many people only think of apprenticeships in labor positions.

However, many other industries — including health care and information technology — have apprenticeship opportunities.

Ashbaugh said it is important for young workers to start exploring the program’s possibilities.

“That first conversation will lead to great outcomes,” he said. “You have to have that conversation.”

For information on apprenticeships, visit www.dol.gov/apprenticeship.