The National Youth Employment Coalition conference unites youth practitioners, policymakers, youth leaders, and stakeholders dedicated to improving the lives of youth and young adults. By creating 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, hosted an interactive workshop, Building a School to Apprenticeship Pipeline for Opportunity Youth, on May 12th at the Forum. Attendees heard 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 also learned how youth’s engagement in RA can improve WIOA grantees’ performance metrics and funding utilization. 

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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, presented, "Career and Technical Education and Registered Apprenticeship (RA) for Pennsylvania." This session explored strategies for aligning RA with CTE pathways, ensuring that students gain hands-on work experience while gaining the necessary related instruction. Attendees learned how leveraging RA can enhance CTE programs by providing students with structured career pathways and heard best practices for building partnerships between educational institutions, workforce agencies, and employers to create seamless RA pipelines. 

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WORKCON 2025, hosted and designed by the California Workforce Association (CWA), showcased innovative and strategic collaborations, partnerships, programs, ideas, and principles that highlighted the remarkable work of California's Workforce Development Boards, Community-Based Organizations, Educational entities, WIOA partners, and all those who are invested in the success of their local communities and the people who live in them. 

Center SMEs Katie Adams and Melissa Aguilar-Southard hosted an interactive workshop on “Aligning Workforce and Registered Apprenticeship: Key Components for Success.” Participants learned about the key components of workforce system alignment with Registered Apprenticeship (RA), the benefits of aligning workforce systems with RA programs, and practical strategies and actionable ideas to build or strengthen workforce system integration with RA. 

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Based on research and assessments conducted by the Center of Excellence, Center Subject Matter Expert, Alan Dodkowitz, provides a deep dive into understanding Registered Apprenticeship (RA) and workforce system alignment, the knowledge gaps that exist, and an analysis of how states are aligning their Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state plans with RA.  

In addition, James Disbro, Senior Director of Regional Alignment and Programs Development for CareerSource Suncoast, and Brandon Butler, Executive Director of the Maryland Workforce Association, discuss Florida's and Maryland's apprenticeship expansion efforts. Mr. Disbro focuses on elements of integration such as a Local Workforce Development Board serving as a RA program sponsor, collaboration with U.S. Department of Labor intermediaries, ways to increase RA programs within the area, engagement with post-secondary institutions, and funding opportunities to support RA. Mr. Butler speaks about Maryland’s approach to RA, challenges faced in implementing apprenticeship programs, and Maryland’s overall RA strategy.

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During the Coalition on Adult Basic Education 2025 National Conference, the Center of Excellence presented, Bridging the Gap: Empowering Adult Learners through Registered and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs. This presentation discussed the key challenges facing adult educators, such as transforming Integrated Education and Training (IET) into apprenticeships, engaging workforce partners, and leveraging Title 1 funding.

Pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs offer adult learners an array of benefits, including access to employment and training in some of the fastest growing industries in this country.  These programs also offer structured on-the-job learning (OJL) and related instruction (RI) that ensures adult learners have a pathway to earning industry-recognized credentials and long-term, well-paying careers. Through our work on the Center of Excellence, learn how Safal Partners can help develop pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship pathways for adult learners by aligning our nation’s workforce, education, and apprenticeship systems.

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The Southeastern Employment and Training Association (SETA) provides professional growth opportunities for all workforce development partners. Center Subject Matter Expert Alan Dodkowitz presented “The Workforce and Registered Apprenticeship System: How Do We Connect the Two?”. This engaging workshop provided an overview of the key findings from the Center’s research highlighting the statistics uncovered regarding the intersection of Registered Apprenticeship and workforce systems. The workshop introduced the “Key Components of Workforce System Alignment with Registered Apprenticeship” tool and outlined practical methods for workforce boards and job centers to improve integration with RA programs. The presentation also included guidance on ensuring eligible participants are properly co-enrolled in both WIOA and apprenticeship programs and offers strategies for equipping Business Services Representatives to effectively conduct outreach to employers. Attendees gained actionable strategies to strengthen the alignment between workforce systems and RA programs, fostering long-term sustainability for these programs.

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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. Center Subject Matter Expert, Alan Dodkowitz, 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 provided 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 state and local CTE leadership and program instructors with customized, no-cost TA, resources and tools to engage in pre-apprenticeship.

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Rural community colleges face unique challenges when implementing Registered Apprenticeship programs. In this webinar, Safal Partners Workforce Director, Dr. Melissa Schroeder, hosted 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. Dr. Melissa Schroeder also offers her insight into the challenges and opportunities facing community colleges.

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The Center of Excellence's subject matter experts Alan Dodkowitz, Nicole Bentley, and Jeremy Faulkner, alongside Amy Shields, the Executive Director of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Foundation and VP of Programs at ACCE, discussed how chambers can play one or more primary roles in Registered Apprenticeship. Participants also heard findings from a collaborative knowledge assessment given to member chambers and guidance on how chambers can serve as effective conveners of member employers.

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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. 

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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.

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The Center of Excellence presented at the Worksource Academy Conference in December. This presentation will allow you to understand the building blocks of Registered Apprenticeship (RA), learn the benefits of RA programs for both job seekers and business customers, understand what it means to braid funds, learn the elements of success, complete a braided funds exercise, and explore alternative funding sources.

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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.

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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.

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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 skilled workforce. In particular, the pathways are being created for the opportunity youth in our current and future pipelines, including 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.

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