Business Services Representatives (BSRs) play a vital role in helping local employers with talent pipeline development. Employers need more than just a job order posting or a resume referral; they need a longer-term solution to recruit, train, retain, and upskill staff. BSRs can help employers by engaging them not only in WIOA Core and Partner Program services, but also by introducing them to Registered Apprenticeship (RA). This guide provides BSRs with strategies to effectively engage employers and American Jobs Center (AJC) staff to increase co-enrollment of customers in WIOA Title I—Adult, Dislocated Worker, or Youth—and RA.

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Employers across diverse industries are increasingly utilizing Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs to meet critical workforce demands. Accelerating adoption of RA requires that employers can access the full spectrum of funding support. State and local workforce development boards (WDBs) can play a crucial role in meeting employers’ needs and supporting the expansion of RA nationwide with strategic use of both Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and non-WIOA funds. This tool is designed to provide local WDB leadership and staff with knowledge and tools to leverage, or “braid,” a wide array of funding sources to support local employers in growing sustainable RA programs.

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The Center of Excellence developed this practical guide to help businesses understand, engage with, and form effective partnerships with apprenticeship intermediaries. The guide explains what intermediaries are, outlines the various types (including national, regional, and youth-focused organizations), and highlights the key roles they can play—such as conveners, technical assistance providers, or program sponsors. It features real-world examples, readiness checklists to evaluate your company's preparedness, and actionable tips for selecting the right partner. The guide is ideal for employers looking to launch, grow, or improve existing Registered Apprenticeship programs with expert support.

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This two-page guide outlines how employers can benefit by collaborating with Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) to establish or expand Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs. It highlights several employer challenges such as sourcing qualified talent, accessing training providers, covering Related Instruction (RI) costs, and navigating labor market data, and shows how LWDBs can help address each. Key resources include candidate screening and recruitment, pre-apprenticeship training, leveraging WIOA-approved education/training providers, funding support, and connecting to community partners. This guide is designed to help employers understand the tangible advantages of such partnerships and how they make apprenticeship programs more effective, affordable, and sustainable.

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Recognizing the importance of strategic rollout and adoption of National Guideline Standards (NGS), this tip sheet provides guidance on how to transition from approval to implementation. It offers practical steps for raising awareness, connecting with key stakeholders, and supporting partners in registering new Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs using NGS. The tip sheet outlines best practices for marketing, partner engagement, and sustained support to increase the utilization of NGS as a scalable workforce development tool.

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This resource explores group Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs and how they can significantly enhance the reach and effectiveness of RA programs. Learn what a group RA program is and the benefits including efficiency, peer collaboration, and cost effectiveness when meeting workforce goals. Employers and organizations committed to building career pathways for students and career seekers are urged to use this resource to find a group sponsor or become a sponsor of a group RA program. 

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Chamber of Commerce members are employers who all share on common ongoing needs core to their business success: attracting, recruiting, hiring, training, and upskilling workers. This Guide outlines the core components of Registered Apprenticeship, explains its benefits for chambers and member businesses, and provides actionable strategies for chambers to become active facilitators in their regions. It includes real-world case studies from Chambers across the country—including the Charleston, South Carolina Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, and the German American Chamber of Commerce—to highlight successful approaches and scalable practices. The document concludes with practical next steps to help Chambers assess their members’ workforce development needs, align with apprenticeship systems, and create strategic partnerships that maximize impact. Through these efforts, Chambers can expand their role as vital workforce development leaders.

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence on Strategic Partnerships and System Alignment hosted “Building Stronger American Workforce and Education System Support for Apprenticeship,” a national virtual Town Hall on advancing alignment of America’s apprenticeship, education, and workforce systems. This special event featured U.S. DOL leaders, Megan Baird, the Acting Administrator from the Office of Apprenticeship (OA), and Robin Fernkas, the Deputy Administrator from the Employment and Training Administration Office of Workforce Investment (OWI). 

OA and OWI leadership was joined by the Center lead, Safal Partners, and its five partners - the National Association of Workforce Professionals, Coalition on Adult Basic Education, National Disability Institute, Wireless Infrastructure Association, and FASTPORT – in sharing insights from the field, lessons learned from the Center’s work over the past four years, and recommendations for future work.

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The Transportation, Distribution & Logistics industry employs 1 in 14 working Americans offering a wide range of career opportunities and making it challenging for employers to fill open positions. This webinar provided Business Services Representatives (BSRs) with effective strategies to promote Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs to employers in this industry. The session highlighted how RA programs offer tailored solutions to meet specific workforce needs, can be seamlessly integrated into existing training and HR development plans, and deliver clear benefits such as a skilled talent pipeline, improved retention, and reduced recruitment costs.

This webinar, presented by the Center of Excellence in partnership with FASTPORT, was presented by Dave Harrison and Scott Ellsworth. Scott Ellsworth, the Principal and Owner of Scott Ellsworth Consulting and Sherpa Management Solutions, works as a contractor with numerous workforce organization assisting employers in developing and implementing effective RA programs. Dave Harrison, Executive Director of Workforce Development and Government Relations for FASTPORT, is a highly accomplished subject matter expert in RA, workforce development, government relations, and veteran employment initiatives. Dave brings extensive expertise in transportation, logistics, financial services, information security, and artificial intelligence sectors, where he has assisted employers and workforce development professionals in meeting evolving industry needs with innovative workforce development solutions. 

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Case managers play a critical role in workforce development, connecting jobseekers to quality training and employment opportunities. As Registered Apprenticeship (RA) continues to prove effective for career advancement, this webinar equipped case managers with practical strategies to present RA to jobseekers across various populations. Participants learned how to communicate the value of RA, articulate career pathways, and implement outreach methods for large-scale recruitment through events, platforms, and partnerships. The webinar also featured real-world examples of how organizations effectively use RA to recruit and engage talent.

This webinar, presented by the Center of Excellence in partnership with Fastport, featured guest presenters Dave Harrison and Scott Ellsworth. Dave Harrison, Executive Director of Workforce Development and Government Relations for Fastport, is a highly accomplished subject matter expert in RA, workforce development, government relations, and veteran employment initiatives. Scott Ellsworth, the Principal and Owner of Scott Ellsworth Consulting and Sherpa Management Solutions, works as a contractor with numerous workforce organization assisting employers in developing and implementing effective Registered Apprenticeship programs. 

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