Apprentices are able to earn money on the job as soon as they start the apprenticeship program while also taking college classes at no cost. In fact, students actually get paid for time spent in class. See how you can get a jump start on a promising career, a college degree, and financial stability.

• Get paid for up to 8,000 hours of on-the-job and classroom training during the 4-5 year program
• Earn an Associate Degree from Rockingham Community College
• All tuition, books, and fees for the associate’s degree program are covered, so you graduate debt free
• May have the option after apprenticeship graduation to transfer certain degree credits to select four-year universities in order to earn a bachelor’s degree 
• Obtain specialized certification and experience that is recognized and sought by employers
• Many employers offer health insurance, retirement, and paid-time-off benefits to apprentices

The Value of Apprenticeship

The value of college classes plus pay received for training on the job and in the classroom is the equivalent of a $125,000 scholarship.

RockATOP Manufacturing:

Apprenticeship Year	Classes, Work & Training	Pay
Initial Summer (Pre-Apprentice)	Summer on-the-job training, and community college classes (Paid a total of 40 hours per week)	$10 per hour
First Year  High School Senior Year if accepted as an Apprentice Junior Year	Half a day of high school Half a day on- the-job training and work Paid for time at work	$12.50 per hour
First Year  Post High School if accepted as an Apprentice Senior Year	On-the-job training and work Community college classes Paid a total of 40 hours per week	$12.50 per hour
Second Year	On-the-job training and work Community college classes Paid a total of 40 hours per week	Increasing wage, variable per industry
Third Year	On-the-job training and work Community college classes Paid a total of 40 hours per week	Increasing wage, variable per industry
Fourth Year (If began program after high school graduation)	On-the-job training and work Community college classes Paid a total of 40 hours per week	Increasing wage, variable per industry
Fifth Year (If began program senior year of high school)	On-the-job training and work Community college classes Paid a total of 40 hours per week	Increasing wage, variable per industry

RockATOP Teach:

Apprenticeship Year	Classes, Work, Training	Pay
Year 1	Summer courses at RCC; begin work at Sponsor site August and full time course load at RCC August – July. (beginning August 2023, paid up to a total of 40 hours/week class time plus on-the-job experience)	$15/hour
Year 2	Classes at RCC August – July and work at Sponsor site (paid up to a total of 40 hours/week class time plus on-the-job experience)	$15.06/hour
Year 3	Classes at RCC (if needed) and work at Sponsor site paid up to a total of 40 hours/week class time (if applicable) plus on-the-job experience)	$15.12/hour

Ready to Apply?

Find all the information you need about how to apply for a RockATOP Manufacturing apprenticeship. You will learn about tours of local companies participating in the apprenticeship program, the application steps and timeline, student requirements, and more.

For more information on RockATOP Teach Teacher Assistant Apprenticeship Program, click here.