NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

30 Apr 2025
PWDA 41st Conference
Hershey, PA

PA Workforce Development Association 41st Annual Conference

PA Workforce Development Association 41st Annual Conference

The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association (PWDA) serves as the voice of the Pennsylvania workforce development system and a clearinghouse for workforce development information statewide. They provide development and capacity building opportunities to workforce development professionals, local workforce development boards (WDBs), and other stakeholders while continuing proactive advocacy efforts on behalf of Pennsylvania’s workforce development system. 

Safal Partners' Apprenticeship Senior Subject Matter Expert, Alan Dodkowitz, will present, Career and Technical Education and Registered Apprenticeship (RA) for Pennsylvania, on May 1st from 2:30-3:20pm. This session will explore strategies for aligning RA with CTE pathways, ensuring that students gain hands-on work experience while gaining the necessary related instruction. Attendees will learn how leveraging RA can enhance CTE programs by providing students with structured career pathways. Hear best practices for building partnerships between educational institutions, workforce agencies, and employers to create seamless RA pipelines. 

Register Here

05 May 2025
NAWDP Conference
Virginia Beach, VA

NAWDP 41st Annual Conference

National Association of Workforce Development Professionals 41st Annual Conference

NAWDP’s 41st Annual Conference will bring together thought leaders and professionals from across various workforce development organizations such as workforce boards, community colleges, private sector business, vocational rehabilitation, economic development, community- and faith-based organizations. On Wednesday, May 7th, Center Project Director and Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Subject Matter Expert (SME), Katie Adams, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) SME, Melissa Aguilar-Southard, will host the workshop, Aligning Workforce and Registered Apprenticeship: Key Components for Success. This interactive workshop focuses on the crucial partnership between the workforce system under WIOA and RA system, demonstrating how state boards and local boards are implementing RA through virtual and physical service delivery to job seekers and employers.  This workshop will explore key components for aligning and integrating RA programs into local workforce systems and the benefits of this alignment, leading to improved WIOA compliance and performance metrics.  Attendees will engage in peer sharing and action planning, working in small groups to develop practical implementation plans for each component. Safal SMEs will also provide on-site assessment of WIOA grantees’ compliance and related-RA utilization.  

Register Here

12 May 2025
NYEC Forum
Minneapolis, MN

NYEC 2025 Annual Forum

National Youth Employment Coalition 2025 Annual Forum

Join the National Youth Employment Coalition for the nation’s leading youth workforce development forum. This national conference unites youth practitioners, policymakers, youth leaders, and stakeholders dedicated to improving the lives of youth and young adults. The Forum creates a collaborative space to share best practices, innovative ideas, advocacy strategies, and practical solutions to common challenges. The Forum works across geographies and sectors to empower each other in their mission to connect youth and young adults to workforce and educational opportunities.

Center Subject Matter Expert, Alan Dodkowitz, will host an interactive workshop, Building a School to Apprenticeship Pipeline for Opportunity Youth, on May 12th from 1:25-2:05pm. Attendees will hear about how to establish Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs, conduct effective outreach to Opportunity Youth, and gain practical tools to bridge social services and the education system with the apprenticeship system. Attendees will learn how youth’s engagement in RA can improve WIOA grantees’ performance metrics and funding utilization. 

Register Here

PAST EVENTS

Feb 26

Austin, TX

National Career Pathways Network Connect Conference

The National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) is dedicated to improving the education-to-careers pipeline through professional development in career and technical education (CTE), Career Pathways, Adult Career Pathways, and workforce development. They hosted their annual conference, NCPN Connect 2025.

The Center of Excellence presented the interactive workshop, Building Student Awareness of Apprenticeship Career Pathways, equipping both stakeholders and educators with tools to link Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs and successful education-to-apprenticeship pathways. The session will provide data showcasing the benefits of RA and a discussion around expert insights on effective transitions to apprenticeship.

The presentation also discussed how our Center of Excellence can provide your state and local CTE leadership and program instructors with customized, no-cost TA, resources and tools to engage in pre-apprenticeship.

Link to PPT

National Career Pathways Network Connect Conference
Feb 20

Virtual

Promising Practices in Registered Apprenticeship from a Rural Community College

Rural community colleges face unique challenges when implementing Registered Apprenticeship programs. In this webinar, Safal Partners Workforce Director Dr. Melissa Schroeder will host a discussion with David Shofstahl, Apprenticeship Coordinator and Workforce Program Manager for Skilled Trades at Mountain Gateway Community College (MGCC). As a recognized leader in workforce development, David has navigated unique challenges of implementing Registered Apprenticeship programs in rural areas. MGCC, the second smallest community college in Virginia, has utilized innovative approaches to overcome significant barriers to apprenticeship adoption. 

Drawing on her 16 years of successful experience leading state and federal workforce and education initiatives including Registered Apprenticeship program expansion, Dr. Melissa Schroeder will offer her insight into the challenges and opportunities facing community colleges. Having previously led the Division of Workforce & Economic Development at the College of Southern Nevada, Dr. Schroeder brings deep expertise in creating apprenticeship pathways. Participants will receive an opportunity to ask our experts questions. 

Link to webinar

Promising Practices in Registered Apprenticeship from a Rural Community College
Feb 05

Washington, DC

Apprenticeships for America Summit 2025

Apprenticeships for America will host the 2025 AFA Summit featuring five plenary sessions, twenty breakout sessions, and a tech expo. The Summit is focused on addressing timely issues facing apprenticeship, including sustainability and scaling, state and regional policy and practices, strategies for advancing success in apprenticeship, and the evolving roles of intermediaries. The conference will also explore apprenticeship recruitment and pipeline development, the involvement of community colleges in apprenticeship, degrees and apprenticeship, and youth apprenticeship, as well as providing opportunities for participants to attendee sector-focused sessions. 

Center subject matter experts, Katie Adams and Alan Dodkowitz will present, System Building to Scale, on Wednesday, February 5th from 9:45-10:45 am EST. 

Link to register

Apprenticeship for America 2025 Summit
Jan 28

Coranado, CA

Workforce Development Institute 2025: Uncharted Courses

The Workforce Development Institute 2025: Uncharted Courses is an opportunity to engage with thought leaders and innovators in workforce and economic development. Hear Center staff moderate an interactive panel discussion designed to provide insight for colleges looking to position talent and potential funding streams for RA in their communities. The panel will include Anthony Cordova, Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development at California Community College; Marvin Martinez, Chancellor of Rancho Santiago Community College District; and David Shofstahl, Apprenticeship Coordinator at Mountain Gateway Community College. 

Link to Register

Workforce Development Institute 2025: Uncharted Courses