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 assistance 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:

  • Viewing materials in our online repository (see below)

Resources

22 Nov 2023

This webinar provided assistance for leaders in state apprenticeship efforts to hear promising practices on expanding apprenticeship found in the Center’s review of 2020 state plans. Part Three focused on two key indicators: apprenticeship-specific strategies to meet state objectives and the establishment of apprenticeship-specific metrics to meet workforce needs. 

Link to PPT

Link to Webinar

15 Nov 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) provided an opportunity for the public workforce system to come together to ensure that we build an economy that works for all. The ETA Vision 2030 convening was an opportunity to highlight and uplift existing programs, build partnerships and break down silos, catalyze success by scaling up together, and create strategic plans to meet the needs of the future. 

The Center presented, Effectively Leveraging Partnerships; Tools to Expand Registered Apprenticeship (RA), providing a step-by-step model on how to effectively leverage partnerships and tools to expand RA through system alignment, outreach and education, and system building.

Link to PPT

15 Nov 2023

The Mt. San Jacinto College Apprenticeship Connection Summit was a groundbreaking summit bringing together key stakeholders from across the region including businesses, municipal leaders, community organizations, workforce agencies, college students, and faculty to help cultivate and expand apprenticeship programs that will develop a future talent pipeline. Participants collaborated to bridge the gap between education and in-demand careers by providing hands-on training and job opportunities for students and graduates. 

The Center presented, Keys to Effective Apprenticeship Partnerships, introducing the Center as a provider of assistance and showed the knowledge gaps in the workforce system regarding Registered Apprenticeship. This presentation brought together key stakeholders from across the region representing industry, local government, community organizations, workforce boards, and secondary and post-secondary educational institutions.

Link to PPT

13 Nov 2023

2023 ApprenticeshipPA brought together industry, education, workforce, and stakeholders across Pennsylvania that wanted to strengthen apprenticeship employment and work-based models of training and development.

The Center presented, U.S. DOL Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence Strategic Partnerships and Systems Alignment. This presentation provided an overview of knowledge gaps based on the results of the Registered Apprenticeship baseline knowledge report, as well as discussing system alignment tools, and how to leverage the services provided by the Center of Excellence.

Link to PPT

08 Nov 2023

NAWDP's 2023 Youth Symposium addressed critical issues for youth in the workforce by sharing innovative solutions and empowering strategies like Registered Apprenticeship (RA). The Youth Symposium brought together workforce development thought leaders and stakeholders whose focus is providing workforce development opportunities for the youth population.

The Center presented, Building and Supporting Youth Apprenticeship Programs. This presentation provided an overview of RA, including a description of the RA ecosystem, how to engage with local businesses and workforce boards, and information on working with Apprenticeship Training Representatives and assisting in apprenticeship navigation.

Link to PPT

20 Oct 2023

Part Two of the Demonstrated State Apprenticeship Leadership in 2020 Unified/Combined Plans webinar series: Co-locating Registered Apprenticeship Expertise in American Job Centers (AJCs), provided assistance for leaders in state apprenticeship efforts to hear promising practices on expanding apprenticeship found in the Center’s review of 2020 state plans.

Part Two focused on the establishment of the apprenticeship expertise in the AJCs. States that made this investment recognized that having apprenticeship expertise available to both businesses and job seekers directly through their services made a stronger investment toward including apprenticeship as a strategy that was relevant to their skill pipeline efforts.

Link to Webinar

Link to PTT

14 Sep 2023

This Center of Excellence webinar provided assistance for leaders in state apprenticeship efforts to hear promising practices on expanding apprenticeship found in the Center’s review of 2020 state plans.

During this three-part webinar series, participants heard about four leadership indicators. Part-One focused on the establishment of a collaborative state level work group or a committee to the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) with a focus on apprenticeship expansion. Establishing these groups or committees to the SWDB may indicate a deliberate effort to establish stronger statewide efforts to increase apprenticeship strategies and opportunities that are collaborative and integrated into business and job seeker services within the workforce system.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

15 Sep 2023

This guide is intended to be a starting point to help state and local workforce professionals understand the key players in the apprenticeship space, what role(s) those partners typically play in supporting registered apprenticeship programs, and how you can play a leadership role in creating registered apprenticeship partnerships that engage those entities.

Link to Document

14 Sep 2023

NASTAD's annual conference brings together the State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) Directors representing 33 member states and territories. As federally authorized independently operated SAA’s, they facilitate the development and administration of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs in states and territories as a solution to the overwhelming demand for highly skilled workers for more than half of the Registered Apprentices throughout the United States. This conference provided an opportunity for the directors to discuss common issues and think strategically.

At the request of the Office of Apprenticeship, Center staff participated in an all-center panel, providing an overview of the completed work and discussed its potential implementation in the field.

Link to PPT

05 Sep 2023

Center partner, the California Workforce Association, held their national workforce development conference, Meeting of the Minds, focusing on training, growth, and America’s economic future. CWA's Meeting of the Minds is where national and local leaders, workforce boards, policymakers, and business partners come together for a convening dedicated to advancing workforce development as a key driver of economic progress.

The Center held an interactive session, Keys to Effective Apprenticeship Partnerships, providing background information on Registered Apprenticeship and key stakeholders, as well as covering information on what is required to make an Registered Apprenticeship programs effective.

Link to PPT

04 Sep 2023

The Center of Excellence showed promising practices for rural areas to sponsor Registered Apprenticeship. Participants heard steps to take in order to align the workforce system, education entities, and local employers in rural areas when considering related instruction, on-the-job learning, mentorship, employing apprentices, and return on investment when sponsoring a Registered Apprenticeship.

Subject matter experts from the Urban Institute spoke about how rural workforce development boards at the state and local level can help a business start a Registered Apprenticeship and become a sponsor. Also, rural health care and agriculture grantees spoke about their experience with program development, challenges faced and gathering stakeholders support for Registered Apprenticeship in their areas.

Link to Webinar

Link to PPT

30 Aug 2023

This webinar provided technical assistance for workforce development boards and education entities regarding becoming a Registered Apprenticeship sponsor. This was the second part of the sponsorship series following the July webinar, Technical Tips for Becoming a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor, and featured additional speakers who were eager to answer questions on being a workforce development board or education registered apprenticeship sponsor.

Participants learned how education providers and workforce development boards can help a business start a registered apprenticeship by becoming the sponsor. Current sponsors in the education and workforce fields shared their expertise in becoming a sponsor. Participants also received a guide and questionnaire for convening partners and a checklist to help gather the right information while engaging with an apprenticeship training representative.

Link to Webinar

15 Aug 2023

This presentation enhanced participant's understanding of the knowledge gaps identified in the Baseline Knowledge Report, provided actionable strategies and recommendations to address gaps, promote alignment of apprenticeship initiatives with WIOA system through effective planning and coordination, equipped participants with knowledge on WIOA funding, and fostered collaboration between stakeholders.

Link to Document

02 Aug 2023

This webinar provided assistance for workforce development boards regarding becoming a Registered Apprenticeship (RA) sponsor.

Safal Partners and FASTPORT subject matter experts spoke about how workforce development boards can help a business start a Registered Apprenticeship and become a sponsor. Additionally, current sponsors from workforce development shared their expertise in becoming a sponsor.

Participants heard how organizations made the decision to become an RA sponsor, best practices for engaging all stakeholders in the process, and the pros and cons of becoming an RA sponsor.

Link to Webinar

Link to Document

27 Jun 2023

This webinar provided technical assistance for Business Services Representatives, Workforce Board staff, and workforce system stakeholders to build an understanding of how to start the process of convening stakeholders to build Registered Apprenticeship programs. Technical tools and tips were provided to make convening stakeholders easy in order to increase the capacity of the workforce system to build and expand RA programs.

Link to Webinar

Link to Document