A couple of years ago, Adrian Resendez was thinking about his career. He had an idea what he wanted to do – he was always good at fixing things – but like many millennials in the job market, he was struggling to find a job that promoted hands-on learning.
At the time, Adrian was attending the Universal Technical Institute. It was there that he spoke with a manager from Waste Management and learned about a new type of career path – one that would put his skills to use while incorporating training: Waste Management’s Technician Apprentice Program, or TAP.
In today’s competitive market, any company managing a fleet needs to make finding good, qualified technicians a priority. TAP gives Waste Management – and its participants – a leg-up on matching long-term careers with talented technicians. The program offers part-time apprenticeship opportunities to students like Adrian who are enrolled in approved technical training schools (usually within commuting vicinity of the sites).
Some of the perks of TAP?
- Valuable on-the-job training alongside experienced Waste Management technicians
- The ability work part-time while attending school
- A steady paycheck
Some locations within Waste Management may also offer a range of incentives, which could include toolboxes worth between $10,000 – $15,000, a tool “allowance,” and even tuition reimbursement.
Better than any perk: TAP turns jobs into long-term careers. Adrian was in the TAP program for about a year before coming on as a full-time technician at White Tank in Arizona. Within a few months, he was promoted to Senior Technician. Today, he is a Lead Technician, a role he has served in for more than a year. As he is quick to point out, the program sets candidates up to succeed, and be “the best that they can be.”
As the program grows into more sites across North America, Waste Management will have a larger talent pool to draw from – one that will give the company an advantage in staffing essential technical positions.
Students looking for more information on TAP should ask about it at their tech schools. Or check out jobs.wm.com and search “Technician Apprentice.”