B.A. Schools, Mullin Plumbing Create Partnership
Broken Arrow Public Schools has teamed with B.A.’s Mullin Plumbing to create a unique program designed to provide high school students with paid apprenticeships while earning elective credit hours to prepare them to enter the skilled workforce upon graduation.
Under the agreement, Broken Arrow High School students will earn $10 an hour while working under a maximum student to supervisor ratio of three to one. The program is believed to be the first partnership in the state between a private business and a school district to provide paid apprenticeship opportunities as part of an educational curriculum.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students who are seeking an innovative and challenging program to prepare them for a career in the local workforce,” BAPS Superintendent Dr. Janet Dunlop said. “Mullin Plumbing came to us looking for ways to increase the number of prospective workers in the area and partnering with a Broken Arrow-based business is something we are honored to do.”
“Plumbers are in high demand now and will continue to be in the future,” Mullin, Inc. CEO Robert Morris said. “The plumbing industry provides an opportunity for young people to enter the field in a paid training environment and the potential to triple their pay over a three-year period.”
Prospective licensed plumbers must initially complete three apprenticeship years before applying for a journeyman license from the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board. Under the agreement, Mullin Plumbing will subsidize the CIB apprenticeship application fee for students in the program which is open to juniors and seniors.
Participating students will get specialized training and instruction designed by Mullin Plumbing and spend approximately three hours at the start of their school day at the company before returning to the high school for lunch and afternoon classes.
A BAPS spokesman said the program qualifies for elective credits that contribute to state graduation guidelines.
“Our goal is to make sure every student has a pathway tailored to their interests and their future plans,” Executive Director of Secondary Instruction Sharon James said. “Broken Arrow graduates will be prepared for whatever comes next, whether that’s going to college, straight into a successful career in the workforce, the military or anything in between.”
By partnering with Tulsa Tech, Broken Arrow High School is helping students prepare for some of the 3.5 million manufacturing industry jobs expected to open over the next ten years.
On-site programs at BAHS are being designed to prepare students for careers in fields averaging $60,000-$65,000 a year for skilled workers.
