Business Employment Skills Team, Inc. (BEST) announces that November 13^th through November 19^th is National Apprenticeship Week.  In its ninth year, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a nationwide celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor to bring together leading business, labor, education, and other critical partners to showcase the impact apprenticeship programs have on closing the U.S. skills gap for the American workforce.  Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway in which workers can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a transferable credential while job creators develop and prepare their future workforce.  Apprenticeship is a flexible training model that can be customized to meet the needs of every business and industry.   Apprenticeship programs provide flexible training models that can be customized to meet the needs of every business and industry.  Dianna Schuler, Business Service Manager for BEST, Inc. said  “According to the US Department of Labor the retention rate for employees in a Registered Apprenticeship Program  is 91%”   Schuler went on to say ”the average return on investment to employers is $1.40 for every $1.00 spent on training an apprentice.” For more information on how your company could benefit from an apprenticeship program contact Dianna Schuler at 815-640-9406 or email her at dianna_schuler@best-inc.org.