John Deere launches apprenticeship program for dealers

John Deere’s Registered Apprenticeship Program will be available to Deere’s Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry dealers. Photo courtesy of John Deere

John Deere received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor for its Registered Apprenticeship Program.

The company will make the program available to its Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry dealers.

According to the company, the program will help address a widespread shortage of service technicians by providing dealers with a formalized, on-the-job and technical training plan to help them develop more highly skilled employees.

“The new Registered Apprenticeship Program complements our existing John Deere TECH program,” says Grant Suhre, director of region No. 4 customer and product support for John Deere Ag & Turf. “In addition to the on-the-job training experience, an apprentice will receive technical instruction and be assigned a personal mentor as a part of the highly organized training structure. Upon completion of the apprenticeship, he or she will receive a nationally recognized journey worker certificate.”

By participating in the apprenticeship program, dealers formally commit to developing additional talent in an earn-while-you-learn program. A participating apprentice benefits from structured, on-the-job training in partnership with an experienced mentor. As training progresses, apprentices are rewarded for new skills acquired.

Participating dealerships will see a number of benefits by participating, including being able to more easily recruit employees and further develop a skilled workforce, John Deere says.

John Deere dealers can collaborate with any number of local organizations as a part of the program, including the John Deere TECH Program, K-12 schools, community colleges, labor organizations, economic development groups, foundations and workforce development boards.

John Deere dealers who wish to participate can receive support and technical assistance from John Deere and JFF (Jobs For the Future, a U.S. Department of Labor intermediary), who will expedite the registration process with their state or federal apprenticeship agency. After registering, dealers can select other occupations for the apprentice program – including sales professionals, parts professionals, accountants or many other occupations – and develop appropriate work processes for those jobs.

Those in training can also track and report their on-the-job learning and technical training time in conjunction with their employers.