Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Salt Lake City School District launched Utah's first teacher apprenticeship program on Wednesday.
- The program offers a five-year paid pathway to a bachelor's degree and licensure.
- Utah first lady Abby Cox praised students' decision to pursue teaching careers.
SALT LAKE CITY — William Geary has long dreamed about becoming a teacher, and now, the East High School junior has a seamless pathway toward becoming one through a teacher apprenticeship program launched Wednesday.
The program is a collaboration between the Salt Lake City School District, Talent Ready Utah, Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah, and is Utah's first for teacher apprenticeships, specifically.
The program is a "dream come true" for Geary and the other students making up the inaugural cohort.
"To have an opportunity ... with so many resources. For me, it just feels like a dream come true. Like, it's really everything I hoped for," Geary said.
The program, formally called Talent Ready Apprenticeship Connection, or TRAC, is a five-year paid apprenticeship program that students in the district can commit to as juniors.
The pathway combines college coursework, paid classroom experience, and, eventually, a direct route to a bachelor's degree and teacher licensure.
Salt Lake City School District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant described the program as a "wonderful blend of both college and career at the same time."
In 2019, the district launched a TRAC Manufacturing Apprenticeship, marking the first apprenticeship of its kind in Utah. Now, the district is setting its sights on education.
Utah's first lady, Abby Cox, was on hand for the announcement, telling students about her own educational journey, which led her to graduate from Utah State University with a degree in special education.
"You're entering a profession and an opportunity to change the future of this community, of this state, of this country, of this world. When you decide that you're going to affect the life of a young student, you truly have the power to change the world. So I'm really proud of this decision that you're making here today," Cox told the students.
Through the teacher apprenticeship, students will split time between college coursework and hands-on classroom experience while working as paid, part-time employees in the Salt Lake City School District.
The goal is for apprentices to gain practical experience in the classroom while pursuing postsecondary education at Salt Lake Community College and eventually, the University of Utah, all culminating in a bachelor's degree and K-12 teacher licensure.
Apprentices will have the option to pursue a degree in either elementary education or special education.
Cox also affirmed the students' choice of pursuing a career in education, despite living in a rapidly digitizing world.
"We are in a digital age where that knowledge is everywhere. It's in the palm of every one of our kids' hands," Cox said. "But a teacher is not going to be less relevant. They're actually going to be more relevant. They have to bring the humanness to education."
And if Geary's enthusiasm was any indication, the inaugural cohort seems to be ready to meet that challenge head-on.
"I'm most excited to just grow. To have an opportunity to have the best people who I will continue to work with for years be able to show me the ropes so I don't have to feel so in the deep end. And just in my future, to be able to become the person I've always wanted to be, to be a better change, especially in special education ... making sure that we make everything better for everybody," Geary said.
More information on the district's apprenticeship programs can be found here.
