AAMU Working to Reshape the Landscape of Apprenticeships in Social Work
AAMU Social Work Faculty Join DC Panel on Apprenticeships at HBCUs
AAMU Associate Professor of Social Work Dr. Sam Choi, and AAMU Assistant Professor
of Social Work Dr. Katina Lang-Lindsey, were part of a panel discussing “Apprenticeships
at HBCUs: Partnering for an Inclusive Workforce,” at the recent Virtual National HBCU
Conference in Washington, DC. Lang-Lindsey was invited to discuss the untapped potential
of apprenticeships within minority-serving institutions. Choi addressed the partnership
for an inclusive workforce and the development of apprenticeships at Minority Serving
Institutions.
“The honor of our department being the first registered MSW apprenticeship program
marks a pivotal moment in the field of social work education and HBCUs, as it opened
a groundbreaking avenue for supporting the social work profession within higher education
and created new opportunities for AAMU,” says Choi.
In 2021, the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA) and the Department of Commerce
designated the AAMU Department of Social Work the first registered MSW apprenticeship
program in the nation.
“Together with AOA, the AAMU Department of Social Work is on a journey to reshape
the landscape of apprenticeships in the field," says Lang-Lindsey. "The goal is to
highlight the vital work of minority-serving institutions in the realm of apprenticeships,
a mission championed by The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity,
and Justice, in partnership with the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions.”
Through AAMU’s apprenticeship program, second year MSW students receive specialized
training as apprentices in behavioral health agencies.
"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alabama has one of the
highest opioid prescriptions per person in the country, highlighting the urgent need
for skilled social workers to support families grappling with addiction, mental health
issues and other challenges," says Choi. "Our department is working to meet that need."