T-Mobile launches apprenticeship program

Settlement discussions between one of the nation’s largest wireless carriers and Nevada’s top law enforcement officer has helped create a new apprenticeship program for Nevadans.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joined a multi-state lawsuit in June 2019 to halt the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, expressing concerns about how a decrease in competition could affect local jobs, innovation and the economic market as a whole. The merger closed earlier this year.

Ford said between settlement talks, the idea of kickstarting a paid apprenticeship program in Nevada was born.

“When my office presented the idea of an apprenticeship program, T-Mobile embraced the opportunity and I am pleased to see its early and long term success,” Ford said in a statement.

The program began this month with seven paid apprenticeships at T-Mobile’s Customer Experience Center and three in Technology Operations.

T-Mobile has committed to having the program for at least six years, and by the fourth year the company will select 15 apprentices annually with opportunities throughout the state. Apprentices learn new skills through hands-on experience, classroom instruction and mentorship.

As roles for the apprenticeship open up, they’ll be posted to T-Mobile’s Career website (www.t-mobile.com/careers) and candidates can find and apply for the roles accordingly.

“This new Nevada Apprenticeship Program that we’re kicking off in Nevada will be the model for our future nationwide program that will create meaningful opportunities for diverse talent who will play a critical role in driving our Un-carrier success into the future,” said Deeanne King, T-Mobile’s chief human resources officer, in a statement.

Contact Jonathan Ng at jng@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ByJonathanNg on Twitter.