The debt-free path into robotics and advanced manufacturing — where employers build the workforce they need and apprentices earn a paycheck and a credential from day one.
#2026-FL-137686
State-approved program, FL Dept. of Education
2 yrs
To a state-registered credential
$0
Student debt for the apprentice
FL Dept. of Education · Work with your local agencies
The problem on the shop floor
The equipment is outpacing the people who can run it.
Robotics, semiconductor fabrication, PLC-driven automation, and Industry 4.0 systems demand skills that traditional degree timelines simply can’t keep pace with. Employers can’t hire their way out of it — and students are told the only door is a four-year tuition bill.
4-yr
Degree timelines that lag behind the technology on your floor
$$$
Rising cost of turnover, recruiting, and re-training
Gap
Between the technicians you need and the ones available to hire
The ROOTS answer
Build the technician on your own equipment.
A Registered Apprenticeship is a formal, state-approved training model that pairs paid on-the-job training under an experienced journeyworker with related technical instruction tied directly to the job. Apprentices are employees — hired, paid, and progressing through a documented wage schedule until they earn a state-registered credential.
Earn while you learnTrained on your systemsState-registered credentialNo tuition billWe handle the paperwork
How the model works
Three tracks, running at once.
On-the-Job Training
Paid, supervised work with a qualified journeyworker at your site, building toward the occupation’s total-hours requirement.
4,000 OJT hours
Related Technical Instruction
A minimum 144 hours a year of structured coursework, delivered hybrid — online and in-person — through ROOTS or a partner college. Customizable to your equipment.
290+ RTI hours
Credentialing
Complete both and the apprentice earns a state-registered Certificate of Completion from the FL Dept. of Education — one step in a stackable, multi-certification pathway.
Portable credential
Why everyone at the table wins
One program. Two winners.
For the Employer
Reduced turnover. Apprenticeships build loyalty — nationally, 90% of apprentices stay on after completing.
Financial incentives. Potential tax credits, grant eligibility, and federal/state funding through workforce boards.
Trained on your systems. Customized instruction built around your specific robotic and automation equipment.
No program to run. ROOTS is the registered sponsor — we keep every record the state requires.
For the Apprentice
Zero debt. A high-tech education with no student loans — you earn instead of owe.
Wages that grow. As your skills rise, so does your paycheck — a documented, guaranteed progression.
A credential that travels. A nationally recognized certification from the FL Dept. of Education.
Hands-on mentorship. Learn directly from the professionals on the shop floor, not a lecture hall.
The earn-and-learn pathway
Every hour moves you up.
$18/hr
0 – 2,000 hrs
Start earning day one
Foundations of industrial automation, safety, OSHA 10
$20/hr
2,001 – 4,000 hrs
Advanced skills, higher pay
PLCs, robot programming, AI & cybersecurity basics
Credential
4,000 hrs complete
Journeyworker certificate
State-registered, portable, stackable with ROOTS certs
Wage progression on file with the state, benchmarked to a $26/hr journeyworker reference wage. Along the way apprentices earn the CAROL 4.0 Industry Certification and a Robot Programming Certification.
Why this matters for the next 20 years
A future-proof investment — for everyone at the table.
The immediate impact
A productive, paid technician on your floor from day one — not two years from now.
Low employer cost through local partnerships — work with your local agencies on funding.
Schools earn FTE workforce funding and positive placement data for accreditation.
The 20-year impact
A pipeline of loyal, home-grown technicians who know your equipment and culture.
Careers, not just jobs — apprentices build stability and lifelong earning power.
A regional advanced-manufacturing workforce that compounds as ROOTS grows into new counties and occupations.
Getting started is simple
Six steps. We do the heavy lifting.
1
Consultation
We discuss your equipment, roles & hiring needs
2
Sign the agreement
A Participating Employer Agreement — no program to register yourself
3
Recruit or designate
Hire new apprentices or enroll existing employees
4
Assign & begin OJT
ROOTS provides the documentation framework
5
Coordinate RTI
Through ROOTS or a partner technical college
6
Track progress
ROOTS maintains every required record
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
Both. Apprentices are hired, paid employees who also complete required coursework. They earn a wage from day one while working toward a state-registered credential.
Employers pay the apprentice’s wages during OJT. Program costs, tax credits, grants, and reimbursement vary by region — work with your local agencies to line up funding, and ask ROOTS during your consultation.
The Robotics Technician occupation is a two-year program requiring 4,000 on-the-job training hours plus a minimum of 290 hours of related technical instruction.
Applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, be able to lift/carry 50 lbs, and meet English-language requirements for safety and instruction. Veterans with qualifying discharge and Florida Registered Pre-apprentice graduates receive selection priority.
No. ROOTS is the state-approved sponsor (Program #2026-FL-137686). You sign a Participating Employer Agreement and ROOTS maintains all Florida DOE and apprenticeship records for you.
Employers and schools anywhere in Florida can participate. ROOTS is actively growing into new counties and occupations with the right partners.
Let’s build it together
Invest in tomorrow. Build what’s next.
Two registered occupations are ready today, with the work-process schedules, wage progression, and curriculum already on file with the state. All that’s missing is you.
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