Our Veterans: Julian Means, Charlotte Firefighter & Former Apprentice

Published on November 11, 2026

Side by side images of Julian Means. On the left, he stands in naval attire against a white wall. On the right, he is in firefighter uniform working on a fire engine.

Julian Means in naval uniform (left) and working as a firefighter (right).

Over the last decade, the City of Charlotte’s apprenticeship program has created several career opportunities for residents, strengthening the city’s workforce. 

The apprenticeship program began in 2016 when the city officially became a Registered Apprenticeship business sponsor. A year later, the city registered its first apprenticeship occupations and soon welcomed the first official cohort in 2018. Now, the program has expanded to 22 registered apprenticeship occupations with the U.S. Department of Labor.  

“This is an opportunity for them if they don’t have the skills yet to do it, but the willingness to learn and work hard,” City of Charlotte Workforce Development Program Manager Sherri Jones said. “So, it’s a great pathway for economic mobility, and it turns out to be also for intergenerational mobility.” 

The city offers paid Registered Apprenticeships that combine classroom instruction, hands-on training, mentorship and opportunities for career advancement. The apprenticeship program focuses on identifying individuals with the motivation and potential to learn valuable skills while building a career within the City of Charlotte.  

“To see them go and continue to grow within their careers, elevate, be promoted, have different positions, but still be within the city is amazing,” said Jones.  

To help expand the program, the Workforce Development team obtained School Certifying Official (SCO) status from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), so the City of Charlotte could help eligible veterans access VA education benefits through approved Registered Apprenticeship and on-the-job training programs. Eligible veterans may receive monthly VA educational payments in addition to their city salary, helping support financial stability while building a new career outside of the military.  

The city has also brought in veteran apprentices through the Department of War’s SkillBridge program. Active-duty military looking to transition out will spend the last six months of their military contract participating in training and development with potential employers. The Charlotte Fire Department welcomed two SkillBridge participants several years ago who later joined the department full-time.  

“The military will pay for the veteran’s housing, their relocation, as well as their salaries when they are in SkillBridge,” said Jones. “So, the employer gets someone that is trying to learn something, also bringing their prior knowledge from being in the military to those opportunities.”  

The city is working to offer more apprenticeship occupations to SkillBridge as the program continues to grow and attract new talent.  

Between the three apprenticeship pathways, the city achieved a new record, hiring 81 apprentices in Fiscal Year 2026. There are currently over 105 active apprentices, and 44 of them are veterans. With an 86% apprenticeship completion rate as of FY 2026, the City of Charlotte is continuing to grow this program to help residents build meaningful careers while ensuring the city has the skilled professionals needed to serve its growing population.  

If you are interested in applying to the City of Charlotte’s apprenticeship program, visit the Office of Workforce Development’s Career Pathways webpage. To learn more about the program, its origins and its recent recognitions, read our feature story from earlier this year. 

See the apprenticeship program in action with veteran turned firefighter Julian Means: 

 

 

 

Our Veterans: Julian Means, Charlotte Firefighter & Former Apprentice - Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:01:00
Yeah.

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From gearing up

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(natural sound)

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to prepping a fire truck, working as a Charlotte firefighter

00:00:07:36 - 00:00:10:32
is a job Julian means loves. Oh, it's

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been amazing. It's been amazing. 

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But before Julian became a firefighter,

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he spent time in the Navy working as a boatswain's mate.

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They paint the ship, drive the ship, land helicopters, a lot of kind of a 

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jack of the trades, jack of all trades kind of job.

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Julian was 19 when he left the Navy, traveling the world for

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eight years before he decided it was time for a change.

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I had kids. You also spend a lot of time away from

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home and you're on sea duty and stuff

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like that, and I was like it's fun,

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but I don't want to spend, you know, all that time away from home.

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He decided he wanted to live in Charlotte and soon discovered the

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Department of War's SkillBridge program.

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A couple of years ago, the Fire Department had their first

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two SkillBridge participants.

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Sherri Jones, apprenticeship program manager for the city's Office of Workforce

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Development says this federal program is what allowed Julian to become an

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apprentice with the Charlotte Fire Department. The military will pay

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for the veterans housing, their relocation as well as their

00:01:09:60 - 00:01:11:84
salaries when they are in SkillBridge.

00:01:11:84 - 00:01:15:64
So the employer gets someone that is trying to learn something.

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Also bringing their prior knowledge

00:01:17:40 - 00:01:19:92
from being in the military to those

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opportunities aside from SkillBridge.

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The City of Charlotte also maintains dozens of registered apprenticeship

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occupations in the city.

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We are the top 1% of all municipalities

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when it comes to registered apprenticeships.

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We have 22 registered occupations, and currently we have about 115

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active apprentices in program, 44 of which are veterans. 

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The city hopes to offer more apprenticeship occupations to skill

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bridge as the program continues to grow and attract new talent,

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including veterans. This is a opportunity for them if

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they don't have the skills yet to do it, they can still apply for the

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skills yet to do it, but the willingness to learn and work hard.

00:01:59:44 - 00:02:04:16
So it's a great pathway for economic mobility, and it turns out to be also

00:02:04:16 - 00:02:05:24
for intergenerational mobility. 

00:02:05:24 - 00:02:06:64
Meanwhile, Julian says thanks 

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to this apprenticeship, he was able to build a career that allows

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him to continue serving his community,

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It's overall amazing, and it's fun

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and exciting to come to work every day.

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Very grateful that I have the opportunity to be here as a firefighter.

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(natural sound)

Want more content on our veteran employees? Check out our video series on YouTube. 

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