Aligning Apprenticeship and the Workforce System

Registered apprenticeship (RA) is the gold standard for workforce development and well-aligned with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). RA provides employers in your state and local community with a proven strategy for developing a strong, sustained talent pipeline for skilled workers while providing job seekers with a pathway to high-demand careers that pay a family-supporting wage.

Access TA from the Center to increase RA alignment with your state and local workforce development board planning to meet critical WIOA performance metrics by:.

  • providing paid apprenticeship opportunities for One-Stop Center customers which helps you meet Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance measures including 2nd and 4th quarter employed (92% of all apprentices who complete a program are then moved into a permanent, full-time workers and 91% are still with their employer a year out)
  • providing your board with the knowledge that RA skills training meets your local business needs, since it is employer-driven, while giving you the credential performance measure
  • ensuring that higher median earnings after 2nd quarter performance metric is met, especially since apprentices receive a raise during their apprenticeship moving beyond transactional relationships with businesses and giving you a head start on the effectiveness in serving employers performance measure

Engage with the Center by:

Resources

12 Dec 2024

During the National Association of Workforce Development Professional's 2024 Youth Symposium, the Center of Excellence presented this interactive workshop designed to provide front-line workforce professionals who work with youth and workforce system policymakers and executives with tools and information to develop policy and provide services that leverage Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding to support youth Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship involvement. 

Link to PPT

11 Dec 2024

Safal Partners Chief Delivery Officer, Katie Adams, joined federal and state government officials during the Urban Institute’s Vision 2030: Building the Future of Registered Apprenticeship to discuss the need and vision for continued expansion and modernization of Registered Apprenticeship to create a stronger, more skilled American workforce.

This presentation discusses the Centers' work and opportunities for increasing America's public workforce system utilization of Registered Apprenticeship to serve both jobseekers and employers, as well as post-secondary and adult education engagement.  It features Carrie Amman, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association, and James Disbro, Senior Director of Regional Alignment & Programs Development at CareerSource Suncoast.

Link to PPT

11 Dec 2024

This webinar is the first in a series of sessions designed to build local workforce board knowledge of and capacity to implement RA programs in alignment with the workforce system.  This first session is intended to build basic knowledge of Registered Apprenticeship and the high level roles local workforce boards can take on when implementing RA programs.

Link to PPT

 

10 Dec 2024

The Center of Excellence lead this interactive workshop during the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association’s Apprenticeship PA Collaborative and Expo. This presentation helps educators, industry employers, and workforce staff learn how to develop, implement, and sustain youth Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.

Link to PPT

10 Oct 2024

The public workforce system is dedicated to offering a comprehensive range of services for job seekers and businesses. However, navigating operational silos and building effective cross-program partnerships can present challenges. 

This presentation, presented at Maryland's Raising the Bar Conference, focuses on the vital collaboration between the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Registered Apprenticeship (RA) systems, showcasing how this strategic alliance can drive success.  Whether you aim to elevate your current WIOA and RA partnership or seek guidance on establishing a new collaboration, this presentation offers valuable insights and practical strategies. 

If you're a workforce system stakeholders eager to enhance your RA partnerships, this presentation:

• Identifies key intersections between WIOA and RA systems.

• Highlights best practices for fostering robust WIOA-RA collaborations.

 • Dispels common myths and misconceptions that hinder effective partnerships.

Link to PPT

 

 

09 Oct 2024

Maryland's employers are struggling to fill jobs, while parents face the rising costs of college. The state has also set an ambitious goal: by the 2030-2031 school year, 45% of graduating seniors should complete an apprenticeship or earn an industry-recognized credential. Achieving these objectives will require a significant expansion of youth apprenticeships across the state.

This workshop provides insights into how education can seamlessly transition into apprenticeship. It presents data and statistics highlighting the impact and success rates of Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs and explores the many benefits of combining traditional education with RA, such as enhanced skills acquisition, job readiness, and long-term career success. Industry experts share examples of successful education-to-apprenticeship pathways. This presentation equips you with the strategies and knowledge to bridge the gap between education and apprenticeship, ultimately benefiting both students and the workforce.

Link to PPT

 

09 Oct 2024

This workshop was presented at the PA Workforce Leaders Symposium and provides a holistic overview of the Investing in America (IIA) Agenda, provides examples of how communities and workforce boards can partner together to leverage resources, and explores how funds can be utilized to train opportunity youth to support Registered Apprenticeship (RA) pathways, other career pipelines, and industry’s growing needs and help Pennsylvania meet their growing workforce needs.

Through the current administration’s IIA Agenda, the administration is collaborating with state and local officials, employers, unions, community colleges, high schools, and other stakeholders to create a diverse and skilled workforce. In particular, the pathways are being created for the opportunity youth in our current and future pipelines, inclusive of the use of RA programs and other meaningful career avenues, which provide incredible earn and learn opportunities.  This workshop discusses these pipelines and how these investments in Pennsylvania can support workforce development for opportunity youth in the State.


Link to PPT

30 Sep 2024

The American public workforce system plays a key role in helping public and private sector employers’ talent pipeline development strategies. Business Services Representatives (BSRs) working for local workforce development boards (LWDBs) are uniquely able to help employers unpack and adopt Registered Apprenticeship (RA). 

This webinar provides key information and tools including an overview of RA, discuss funding that can be utilized to support employers’ RA programs, and demonstrate how RA can support their LWDBs’ WIOA performance metrics.

Link to PPT

Link to Webinar

17 Sep 2024

The ATR and BSR Training Series provides training on Registered Apprenticeship (RA) as an ideal solution in the workforce system and how both types of representatives can work in conjunction with one another to leverage the apprenticeship system on behalf of employers.

For Business Services Representatives:

Session 1: Understanding RA as a Business
Services Opportunity - How RA is structured and works in concert with the workforce system, recent initiatives, funding opportunities, partners, and how to speak to employers about RA.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

Session 2: Industry and Workforce: Making Apprenticeship Central to WIOA Business Services - How RA bolsters the success of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) business services, the role of the RA system, and how to coordinate and collaborate with ATRs and Navigators.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

Link to Handout

For Apprenticeship Training Representatives

Session 1: Understanding the Public Workforce System and BSR Role - How Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) make decisions on policies, the BSR role, and funding for employers, job seekers and how it relates to RA.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

Session 2: Promising Practices for Building Effective ATR/BSR Partnerships - How to engage with BSRs to develop outreach to industry in developing new and expanded RA programs; promising practices for engaging with BSRs and other LWDB staff; and what successful collaboration between ATRs and the workforce system can look like.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

Capstone Session

ATRs and BSRs: Collaborating to Expand RA - The overlap in ATR and BSR roles related to employer engagement for accelerating industry’s understanding and adoption of RA to build talent pipelines which benefits job seekers who are served by LWDB case managers. This session showcases workforce experts featuring effective ATR and BSR partnerships.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT
 

26 Aug 2024

This Center of Excellence webinar is designed to empower educators, practitioners, and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to seamlessly connect education with Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs. Attendees will gain insights into how education can effectively transition into apprenticeship, hear comprehensive data and statistics that highlight the impact and success rates of RA programs, and learn about the myriad of benefits of combining traditional education with RA, including enhanced skills acquisition, job readiness, and long-term career success. Industry experts will also provide examples of successfully implementing education-to-apprenticeship pathways. This informative and engaging session will equip you with the strategies and knowledge to bridge the gap between education and apprenticeship, ultimately benefiting students and the workforce.

Link to webinar

Link to PPT

Link to Office Hours webinar

Link to Office Hours PPT

20 Aug 2024

Center partner, NAWDP, and host sponsor, Maryland Workforce Association, offered a Business Services Academy designed to equip Business Services Representatives with the tools, knowledge, and expertise needed to excel in the ever-evolving landscape of business services. 

Center staff presented the workshop, Registered Apprenticeship: An Employer Pipeline Solution and Why You Should be Selling It offering technical assistance to participants helping them to understand how creating Registered Apprenticeship programs not only meets employer's needs but also meets Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance needs as well.

Link to PPT 

05 Aug 2024

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded Youth Apprenticeship Readiness grants to 14 organizations to develop or expand registered youth apprenticeships. Grant funds can be spent on activities to support apprentices ages 16 to 24 years participating in Registered Apprenticeship programs in high-demand industries, including manufacturing, health care, information technology, and cybersecurity.

This research report by the Urban Institute provides background on youth apprenticeship programs in the U.S. to provide context for finalizing the design of the implementation evaluation of the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness grants. The report also summarizes the planned activities of the 14 grantees and the key features of each grantee’s youth apprenticeship model and discusses key issues to include in the implementation evaluation.

Link to Report

01 Aug 2024

This webinar provides a holistic overview of the IIA Agenda, provides examples of how communities and workforce boards can partner together to leverage resources, and explores how funds can be utilized to train opportunity youth to support Registered Apprenticeship (RA) pathways, other career pipelines, and industry’s growing needs.

Through the current administration’s IIA Agenda, the administration is collaborating with state and local officials, employers, unions, community colleges, high schools, and other stakeholders to create a diverse and skilled workforce. In particular, the pathways are being created for the opportunity youth in our current and future pipelines, inclusive of the use of registered apprenticeship programs and other meaningful career avenues, which provide incredible earn and learn opportunities.

Link to webinar

31 Jul 2024

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.

Link to webinar

Link to PPT

Link to Office Hours PPT

Link to Office Hours webinar

30 Jul 2024

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.

Link to PPT