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.

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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.

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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.

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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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The presentation "Essentials of a High-Quality Pre-Apprenticeship" outlines key elements for developing effective pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare participants for high-quality apprenticeship opportunities. It highlights six critical characteristics: transparent entry and success requirements, skill development through hands-on activities, alignment with local employer needs, earning industry-recognized credentials, offering academic and career support, and ensuring a smooth transition to registered apprenticeships. These programs aim to increase diversity and equity, bridge skill gaps, and provide essential support for participants to succeed in their career paths.

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This flowchart shows the relationship between recruitment and retention services for pre-apprenticeship to apprenticeship with your local workforce board. Once a participant transitions from pre-apprenticeship to apprenticeship, available resources for apprentices consist of On-the-Job Training, Supportive Services, and Related Technical Instruction.

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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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This guide on WorkforceGPS is the result of research and interviews with state agencies that promote quality pre-apprenticeship programs. It presents the current level of support in states that overtly promote quality pre-apprenticeships and align to the elements of quality pre-apprenticeship as defined by the Office of Apprenticeship. Quality pre-apprenticeships are career development programs that prepare individuals to enter Registered Apprenticeship programs with the skills required to succeed.

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