PIKE COUNTY, Mo. — An apprenticeship program developed by NECAC is getting national attention.

The agency is presenting information about its job training apprenticeship program to the National Association of State Community Service Programs and the National Community Action Partnership.  Both organizations are headquartered in Washington, D.C.

The program’s goal is to help newly-hired NECAC weatherization employees gain additional skills. It was developed in March 2021 by NECAC in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, Missouri Department of Labor, the Northeast Missouri Workforce Development Board, and Pike-Lincoln Technical Center.

The timing couldn’t be better. NECAC expects a large increase in weatherization funding this summer and will need to hire additional employees to do the work.

So far, NECAC has hired and trained four new apprentice employees . The program consists of 144 hours of classroom learning and 2,000 hours of on-the-job education.

Upon completion, the new employees will earn a Department of Labor certification as a home performance laborer.

More information is available by calling NECAC at 573-324-6622.