Dear Sponsor,
Thank you for your interest in being a sponsor in the Clearwater Trade School Plumbing & Gas Fitting Apprenticeship Program. I wanted to take a moment to tell you a bit about the vision of Clearwater Trade School & how your partnership with Clearwater Trade School is going to help shape & change the future of plumbers in Florida.
My vision is for Clearwater Trade School to become the premier trade school for future plumbers & gasfitters in Pinellas County, Florida. To provide real, one-on-one training by professionals, to apprentices who are already committed to working in the field. Using a business-partnership approach, we work with the employers (sponsors – like you!) of apprentices to make tuition more affordable while giving the sponsors a return on their investment.
As an employer in the plumbing field, I know that each day we work with one of our helpers or apprentices – is an investment. Investments are hard, but just like any other well-maintained investment portfolio, if you stick with it & have a good broker – you will not be upset about the return you make. But I also know that it is impossibly hard to maintain a well-balanced work/train/apprentice environment for all of our team. This is where CTS comes in. By providing a full week of class, rotating every 6 weeks – you get the most out of your apprentices in normal working hours and they get the most out of their in-class training. In 4 years (or less in some cases) your apprentices will become fully certified by NCCER & be ready to take their licensing exam as a Journeyman. There is also an option for a 5th year Master Plumber Course after graduation!
As a sponsor, it will be your job to take off where Clearwater Trade School leaves off in the hands-on training. Giving your apprentices in-field knowledge that can only come from the real-life experience.
Imagine how well your company could be doing if the “10” new apprentices you (hypothetically) hire today receive side-by-side training as they work! Imagine the capabilities of your team when each of your apprentices are able to run their own vans & their own teams! This was the vision I had when starting Clearwater Trade School. Turning the guys who are costing me money now – as an apprentice; into a well-oiled machine that is making my company top dollar – as a journeyman.
There is SO much plumbing work available, & not enough experienced, well-trained, journeymen to take it on. What our industry needs is to have new life breathed into it. But what our apprentices need is the training & support they can trust.
Too often trade schools try to jam enough classroom training into limited night & weekend time slots & expect tired apprentices to fully absorb what they are being taught. This is both unfair to the apprentices & to their employers. Not to mention, the cost of tuition & inflexible work/school schedules often lead to a higher failure then dropout rate. Our goal is to eliminate the failure rate by bridging the gap between the needs of the sponsors & the needs of the apprentices. But we can’t do it alone.
As a sponsor, you would be directly aiding in the success of your apprentice in multiple ways:
By sponsoring 50% of your apprentices’ costs per year, you help to alleviate the financial burdens that keep more than 40% of dropouts from, in fact, dropping out. By providing flexibility to allow your apprentice to maintain their class schedule, you help to alleviate the job stress that causes over 45% of failing apprentices to give up. Lastly, by providing guidance & support in the field, you are helping to redefine the value of the 10% of apprentices who do not complete programs due to lack of mentoring. By taking the financial leap of faith in becoming a sponsor – you are single-handedly changing the future of the plumbing industry.
Join me in the future of plumbing by sponsoring your own team. Maybe it’s just 1 guy this year, maybe it’s 10. There is no limit (big or small) to the number of apprentices you can sponsor & no limit to the number of futures you can change. Equally, there is no limit as to how much you can sponsor (over the 50% commitment). Every percent over 50% that you contribute will be life-changing for the members of your team – and it’s also a great tax deduction!
To become eligible for one of the scholarships a sponsor must first be registered with Clearwater Trade School & have an apprentice enrolled for the opening semester. Terms, conditions & rules will be announced at the end of 2020. Please follow our social media accounts for announcements & updates: @ClearwaterTradeSchool
Thank you for considering Clearwater Trade School. Take a look at all the information in this packet. If you have any questions or want to know more, please call me directly on my cell listed in the header.
“Imagine how YOUR life can change in as little as 4 years.”
Sincerely,
Wayne Ritchie
