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Our History
In 1948, a group of interested individuals representing management and labor from southern
industries organized the Southern States Apprenticeship Conference.
These individuals recognized the importance of training in skilled trades to the economy
of the South as well as that of the nation.
The first session of the SSAC was held in New Orleans, Louisiana in April, 1948, and was attended by 370 persons.
Though not too large, the first meeting was very enthusiastic and provided the stimuli for those that followed.
It was several years before the Conference had grown to the point where the need for the guiding body
was recognized to provide leadership in
the development of future conferences. To do this, a Steering Committee was created,
composed of a representative of management and labor from each of the thirteen states involved.
Financial arrangements for the Conference came from contributions of management and labor in the
states that participated. Under the Guidance of this Steering Committee and with excellent planning
on the part of the various state hosts committees, the Southern States Apprenticeship Conference
is today among the largest of its kind in the
United States.
Today, the Steering Committee, known as the Labor/Management Council, has added
two states and each state is now represented by two representatives of management and two of labor.
The 15 states represented by the Southern States Apprenticeship Conference (SSAC) include:
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas,
Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina,
and Kentucky.
For over fifty years, the Southern States
Apprenticeship Conference has held an annual conference, usually in mid June, in
a different state each year.
Our Objectives
The objectives of the Southern States Apprenticeship Conference are:
- To stimulate interest in and promote the training of skilled craftspersons through a quality
apprenticeship system
- To encourage constant effort to improve the apprenticeship system of training
- To provide a forum through the panel concept for the dissemination of pertinent information
on apprenticeship to panelists in attendance
- To enrich the panel sessions by and through the development of more efficient panel management
- To establish and maintain lines of communication between management, labor, education and
government for sharing of mutual problems, interests and respect
- To encourage participation in the Southern States Apprenticeship Conference by all persons
directly involved in the apprenticeship system of training
- To provide recognition of outstanding apprentices from throughout the 15-state area
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