Did You Know?

Salt Lake City School District leads the state in the number of apprenticeship opportunities for students. Apprenticeships combine training in high-wage, in-demand careers with the opportunity to attend college for free.

If you have younger students, college pathways and career apprenticeships may seem far in the future for your family. But you need to know that we are building new opportunities your students can look forward to as they progress through their education in the district.

In 2018, we partnered with Stadler Rail, a Swiss train manufacturing company, to create Utah’s first youth apprenticeship program. Students start working as apprentices during their senior year, spending half their time taking high school classes and the other half getting paid work experience at the Stadler Rail facility in Salt Lake City. The apprenticeship continues for two more years as students earn an associate degree – paid for by Stadler – in advanced manufacturing at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Students who complete the apprenticeship (three years total) leave with early expertise in electrical or mechanical skills, paid work experience, two years of free postsecondary education, and the promise of an interview for a full-time job at Stadler. More than 60 students have participated so far, and many are still working for Stadler Rail.

In 2023, we launched our second youth apprenticeship with Utah PaperBox, a local manufacturing company.  And recently, we announced two additional youth apprenticeships with Doppelmayr and Mondi. In the coming years, we aim to offer apprenticeship programs in additional fields—Health Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism, and IT. If your student is interested in these opportunities, please have them speak to their school counselor.

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