Carol Toomey, Managing Director of Accenture’s Hartford office, explained that the company launched an apprenticeship program a few years ago after facing challenges in hiring candidates for entry-level positions.
“It was just the perfect storm, I would call it, of we needed the talent,” Toomey said. “We knew it was available, and we looked for the perfect partnerships to build that talent.”
Toomey mentioned that each office has the flexibility to customize the apprenticeship program to suit its specific needs. She recognized an opportunity to support individuals who felt stuck in low-paying jobs with limited career prospects. She specifically pointed to the United Way of Connecticut’s 2024 report on ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) individuals, which revealed that while 11% of people in Connecticut live below the federal poverty line, another 29% fall into the ALICE category.
United Way of Connecticut President and CEO Lisa Tepper Bates stated that many ALICE households share their struggles are increasing due to inflation. “The real costs of the basics for an ALICE household, the increase in those costs is faster than the growth in wages,” she said.
Toomey estimates that over the past two and a half years, Accenture has hired 34 individuals through the apprenticeship program. She also noted that more than 20 of those employees have been promoted.
Photo Credit: Accenture.