The NCS apprenticeship for educators

Earn your teaching certification while LIVING and WORKING in NELSON COUNTY

The Nelson County Schools offers Education Collab students and current district employees the opportunity to enter a certified educator apprenticeship. Through the apprenticeship program, future educators will be hired by the district and work as a student teacher while enrolled at Western Kentucky University.

Open as early as freshman year

The model incorporates 2.5 hours daily of place-based and experiential learning students may enter as early as 9th grade. During their four-year high school career, students participate in dual-credit enrollment through Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and WKU to attain 59 hours of college credit, thus meeting post-secondary general education requirements as well as 24 hours toward teacher certification.

The paid youth apprenticeship will start in the student’s junior or senior year.

Earn your degree while teaching at NCS

Upon graduation, the student apprentices will continue to be paid employees of Nelson County Schools and enrolled at WKU to complete the remaining 61 hours toward a bachelor’s degree. Students remain in the Nelson County community throughout the college experience.

At the conclusion of the two-year student-teaching style experience, students attain their bachelor’s degree and Kentucky teacher certification, completing a total of 6,000 hours of coursework and on-the-job training.

Open to anyone with an associate degree

Anyone who has an associate degree may also apply and begin working for the district as an apprentice while completing education coursework and on-the-job training.