This Center of Excellence webinar provides technical assistance for Case Managers and front-line staff to hear the benefits and opportunities of co-enrolling Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) career seekers with Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs.

Discover the myriad of benefits RA offers your region and the apprentices, understand the essentials of co-enrolling participants in RA and WIOA, and learn about how to leverage WIOA funding to support registered apprenticeships for sustainable workforce development.

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The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) serves more than 9,000 leaders from 1,300 chambers of commerce, including 93 of the top 100 metro areas in the U.S. The Center of Excellence presented at the ACCE's 2024 conference about leveraging Chambers of Commerce in Registered Apprenticeship alignment efforts. Participants explored the five core components of Registered Apprenticeship and gained insights into the current role of Chambers of Commerce in these programs. The session showcased best practices for Chamber involvement, featuring a presentation from the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Attendees also learned how their Chambers can engage more effectively to benefit local jobseekers, employers, and the Chambers themselves.

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This module by the Registered Apprenticeship Academy offers sponsors an overview of guidelines for quality pre-apprenticeship program issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The module helps sponsors understand how to implement quality pre-apprenticeship programs and develop a pipeline for their registered apprenticeship programs.

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This Training and Employment Notice describes the scope and characteristics of quality pre-apprenticeship programs in a manner that is consistent with the language of the Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship Final Rule and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Final Rule; identifies how pre-apprenticeship programs can increase access to Registered Apprenticeship programs for all Americans; and provides examples of quality pre-apprenticeship programs in diverse settings.

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Apprenticeship Training Representatives (ATRs) and Business Services Representatives (BSRs) are key in system alignment for Registered Apprenticeship (RA) and the workforce system. By collaborating, ATRs and BSRs can rapidly accelerate effective employer outreach and engagement in RA nationwide. While both ATRs and BSRs have their own unique set of responsibilities, the overlap in their respective roles related to employer engagement presents a natural opportunity to collaborate for accelerating industry’s understanding and adoption of RA to build talent pipelines which will, in turn, benefit job seekers who are served by Local Workforce Development Board case managers.

This “capstone” training session is the culmination of the first four sessions which were developed for each stakeholder group focused on educating each group on the other’s work. This session includes interactive learning from workforce experts and features effective ATR and BSR partnerships.

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Broad and robust partnerships give value to expanding registered apprenticeships that ultimately help meet program outcomes and increase engagement with employers. Building on the knowledge gained from the first Apprentice Training Representative (ATR) session, this training includes how to engage with Business Services Representatives (BSRs) to develop strategies for effective, collaborative outreach to industry in developing new and expanded registered apprenticeship (RA) programs; promising practices for engaging with BSRs and other Local Workforce Development Board staff; and what successful collaboration between ATRs and the workforce system can look like.

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This second Business Services Representatives’ (BSRs) training session features how registered apprenticeship (RA) bolsters the success of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) business services, the RA System and the role of Apprenticeship Training Representatives (ATRs), and how to coordinate and collaborate with ATRs and Navigators.

RA is an ideal solution for many employers that are partners with workforce boards and American Job Centers. This online training explores innovative ways that apprenticeship ties in with WIOA business services. It also equips you to connect with and leverage the support of the apprenticeship system on behalf of employers.

By connecting intentionally and regularly with ATRs, WIOA business services can better engage employers, place candidates in well-paying RA employment, and increase positive WIOA performance metrics.

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Foundational knowledge of how the workforce system operates is essential to Apprenticeship Training Representative (ATR) work. In this first session for ATRs, attendees learned how Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) make decisions on policies and funding for employers, job seekers and how it relates to registered apprenticeships.

This session also demonstrates the Business Services Representative (BSR) role and the steps program sponsors and employers need to take to access Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and non-WIOA funding and support. ATRs are provided with detailed information and tools to help them move from understanding policy alignment to practical implementation with workforce system partners, especially BSRs.
 

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The Missouri Association for Workforce Development held a pre-conference hosted by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, Office of Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning on April 23-24. The Centers subject matter experts, Melissa Aguilar-Southard, Haylie Schuster, and Angela Baker delivered three presentations on understanding registered apprenticeship as a business services opportunity which can be accessed below.

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The National Association of Workforce Boards held The Forum in Washington, DC. about workforce policy, initiatives, and trends.

Registered Apprenticeship (RA) subject matter experts, Alan Dodkowitz from Safal Partners, Brent Weil from the Wireless Infrastructure Association, Jeff Smith from the U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship, and James Disbro from Career Source Suncoast, presented to workforce stakeholders discussing core RA-related elements of the Investing in America Agenda and promising practices for partnership development to access and implement Investing in America funding.

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Center partner, the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), held their Annual Conference in Nashville, TN in 2024. Center subject matter experts, Katie Adams, Nicole Klues, and Dr, Amber Gallup, presented about expanding pre-apprenticeship opportunities for adult learners through employer engagement to grow their registered apprenticeship program. This interactive session explored tools and strategies for fostering strong partnerships between adult education programs and employers to enhance pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship opportunities for students.

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This training session is designed for Business Service Representatives (BSRs), Veterans’ Representatives, and other workforce professionals that engage directly with employers.

This webinar is the first session in a BSR Training Series featuring how Registered Apprenticeship is structured and works in concert with the workforce system, recent initiatives, funding opportunities, partners, and how to speak to employers about Registered Apprenticeship.

Registered Apprenticeship is an ideal solution for many employers that are partners with workforce boards and American Job Centers. This online training opportunity explores innovative ways that apprenticeship ties in with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) business services. It also equips you to connect with and leverage the support of the apprenticeship system on behalf of employers.

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Multi-State American Job Center Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Summit: 2 Global Services, an American Jobs Center contractor in Florida, Texas, and Nevada, held a RA Summit for their frontline staff and managers. As part of our collaboration with the CareerSource Florida Network, the Center was invited to deliver a virtual presentation on aligning WIOA with RA. Alan Dodkowitz, Subject Matter Expert, and Project Manager, Judy Blanchard, provided an overview of the Center and presented, Putting Your WIOA Plan for Apprenticeship to Work.

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The Investing in America Agenda represents a historic commitment to workforce development with hundreds of billions of dollars earmarked for our nation's infrastructure, semiconductor industry, and renewable energy sector over the coming years. This substantial investment will necessitate the training of millions of new workers in innovative industries to fill these roles.

This presentation, given at the Southeastern Employment and Training Association 2024 Conference, shows the core elements of the Investing in America Agenda, what opportunities exist related to how states can utilize funding opportunities to support registered apprenticeship and how organizations can collaborate to support the implementation of the Agenda while also supporting Opportunity Youth.

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The Center created a draft tool designed primarily to provide local workforce boards with a gauge of potential “levels” of workforce and apprenticeship system alignment. This session is a continuation of walking through the individual levels, with a focus on how local boards have taken next steps to further incorporate Registered Apprenticeship as a workforce solution for local jobseekers and employers.

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