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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WorkSource Georgia is the state’s federally-funded employment and training system, working to connect talent with opportunity. through providing Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services across the state through 17 local offices. 

During WorkSource Georgia's Academy Conference 2024, Center subject matter experts, Nicole Bentley and Stacy O'Keefe, presented "Braiding Funds to Support Successful Registered Apprenticeship Programs" allowing attendees 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 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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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 provided key information and tools including an overview of RA, discussed funding that can be utilized to support employers’ RA programs, and demonstrated how RA can support their LWDBs’ WIOA performance metrics.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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This Center of Excellence webinar provided 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 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 was 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 included interactive learning from workforce experts and features effective ATR and BSR partnerships.

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