Apprentice

Apprentice Program Overview

The Hearing Care Provider Apprenticeship Program is designed for individuals who desire to become a hearing healthcare professional who provides complete hearing healthcare through patient assessment, education, and hearing loss treatment. The Apprentice will complete the program to gain the skills necessary to become a Hearing Care Provider and obtain the required state licenses. The program is comprised of both virtual and in‑person classroom learning, hands‑on lab learning, and side‑by‑side learning with a licensed Hearing Care Provider.

The Apprentice will follow established curriculum and adhere to coaching and guidance provided by the assigned preceptor. On average, the program takes 6 months to complete, however this timeline may take up to a year, depending on state requirements.

Pay starting out through apprenticeship: $19.23 per hour. This is an in‑person, in‑clinic position located in Niles, IL. Once licensed this will NOT be your clinic to work in.

• Training Permit:
  The Apprentice will be required to obtain a training license for the state of study at the start of the program.
• HHA Clinical Introduction – The program begins with Clinical Introduction Week, which builds a foundation of clinical skills. This week includes instruction, live demonstrations, self‑guided labs, and preceptor‑guided labs. A hands‑on Clinical Skills Check will verify skills learned.
• In‑Clinic Practice with Direct Supervision – Following the Clinical Introduction Week and successful passage of the Clinical Skills Check, the Apprentice works hands‑on in the clinic under guidance and mentorship from the preceptor. In‑clinic practice with direct supervision continues until the Apprentice passes the Hearing Life Clinical Certification.
• Each month the Apprentice Learning Plan Skill Development Measure is completed to track development of clinical skills.
• Each week the Apprentice submits a log for clinical hours. A minimum of 18 hours should be obtained each week.
• Each week the Apprentice submits a weekly summary of learning and clinical experiences.
• Periodic meetings with the Clinical Training Team are conducted to ensure continued progress.
• Distance Learning Program / Virtual Courses – 12‑week coursework to learn concepts and principles building a foundation to become a Hearing Care Provider. Each week covers a new set of topics with associated exams to validate learnings.
• Clinical Certification – Upon completion of hands‑on learning and mastery of each clinical skill, a Clinical Certification is conducted. Upon passing, the Apprentice is eligible to see patients independently, as allowed by state licensing laws.
• Licensing and Exams – After completing the clinical certification, the Apprentice may take state and/or national licensing exams as required by state. Each exam may be attempted twice. Transitioning to a permanent Hearing Care Provider role is contingent upon obtaining the necessary licenses.
• Practical Exam – hand‑on evaluation of clinical skills.
• State‑Dependent – not all states have a practical exam.
• Written Exam.
• Most states take the ILE (International Licensing Exam).
• PA, NY, MI, CA, Alaska, Vermont, District of Columbia – Do not take the ILE; they take their own independent exams.
• Hearing Health Academy – Contains classes that support learning of business principles that form the building blocks for the best‑in‑class patient care.
• Attend all assigned sessions (on time arrival with full virtual accessibility).
• Complete all pre‑work and submit applied learnings by the appropriate due date.
• Actively contribute to the conversation and engage with peers throughout the course.
• Successfully demonstrate role‑play to a variety of patient care and treatment recommendation scenarios, including a final live certification in the PSP (Professional Sales Presentation).

At the conclusion of the training program and upon obtaining state licenses, the incumbent will perform at the full capacity of a Hearing Care Provider by acting in accordance with required industry and state professional licensing standards, local practice scope, and continuing education to grow and maintain high practice standards. The…