USDOL May 2024 Apprenticeship Newsletter

United States Department of Labor sent this bulletin at 05/30/2024 08:39 PM EDT

APPRENTICESHIP NEWSLETTER

MAY 2024

During the month of May, the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) had the pleasure of experiencing the efforts of diverse partners across the country as they celebrated Youth Apprenticeship Week.  Thanks to their work in hosting events and issuing proclamations, communities across the country have heard the powerful message of how Registered Apprenticeships can change the lives of youth and young adults for the better.  The past month also included important developments and innovations that led to further expansion of our National Apprenticeship System.  Some of these are highlighted in this edition of our regular newsletter.

NATIONAL YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP WEEK CELEBRATED BY THOUSANDS NATIONWIDE

Thanks to the efforts of a wide array of valued partners across our nation, Youth Apprenticeship Week (YAW) was a huge success!  Employers, apprentices and graduates, education partners, labor organizations, community-based organizations, government officials, industry associations, workforce leaders, and others partnered together to:

Hold over 420 events, well in excess of our original goal of 100 events!  These events included open houses and apprenticeship information sessions (such as pictured on the left below), and apprentice signing days/graduation ceremonies (such as featured on the right below).

Issue 127 proclamations across a variety of states, counties, municipalities, and apprenticeship system partners and program sponsors!

Host over 682,600 attendees in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

To read more about some of the exciting highlights from YAW, feel free to check out this recent U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Blog, where Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training José Javier Rodríguez recaps the week in brief.  Check out the YAW webpage for more information and to share event highlights.

REGISTERED TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS:  PAVING THE ROAD TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION

In recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, Deputy Assistant Secretary Manny Lamarre posted a blog highlighting the joint efforts of the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and the Department of Education to expand Registered Apprenticeship for educators. In support of these efforts, ETA industry intermediary partner, RTI International, published a report, Profile in Educator Registered Apprenticeship Programs, which looks at different program design models to modernize, diversify, and expand K-12 Teacher Registered Apprenticeship opportunities.

Visit the Education Industry Page on Apprenticeship.gov to learn more!

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2024 IS LESS THAN 180 DAYS AWAY!

As of the end of May 2024, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2024 is less than six months away.  We look forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week this year from November 17-23, 2024, so start planning your events now!  This year's theme - 10 Years of Engagement, Expansion, and Innovation - is in recognition of the fact that, since its inception, literally thousands of events have allowed countless individuals to learn about the life-changing impacts that the National Apprenticeship System has had and continues to have for so many jobseekers and employers.  This anniversary year is also an opportunity to celebrate everyone who has participated in NAW over the past ten years - industry, labor, equity, workforce, education, and government leaders - by hosting events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship. Over the next several weeks, a variety of NAW tools and resources will be unveiled on Apprenticeship.gov, so stay tuned!

MORE INFORMATIVE CONTENT AVAILABLE FROM THE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP ACADEMY

The Registered Apprenticeship Academy continues to add new and informative learning Modules for Staff and our Registered Apprenticeship Partners.  Please check out the following modules and share with your partners.

Promoting an Anti-Harassment Environment: (for Sponsors) - Addresses harassment in any company/organization, highlighting that it can happen to anyone within a business or organization.

Promoting an Anti-Harassment Environment for Apprentices Course: (for Apprentices) - Addresses topics such as: recognizing unlawful behavior, defining harassment, taking appropriate action as a target or witness, reporting incidents, and understanding the consequences of retaliation.

Davis Bacon: (for Sponsors) - Demonstrates how to generate Davis-Bacon certifications.

Understanding Davis-Bacon: (sponsors, registration agencies, or DOL-funded investment partners) - Updated for the first time in four decades, this microlearning introduces the Davis-Bacon Act and the impact of its standards on registered apprenticeship programs.

Service Excellence: Providing Quality Customer Service in the Registered Apprenticeship Ecosystem (for Registration Agencies) - Quality customer service is critical to expanding registered apprenticeship and reaching investment partner goals.

Equal Employment Opportunity in Registered Apprenticeship Program for Individual with Disabilities (for apprentices) - Focusing on EEO regulations for individuals with disabilities.

YOUTHBUILD ANNOUNCED ITS 2024 GRANT RECIPIENTS

On May 2, DOL announced the award of $98 million in grants to 72 organizations in 30 states and Guam to provide training and employment services in an ongoing effort to expand access to apprenticeship opportunities and prepare young workers for quality jobs.  YouthBuild is a workforce development program that provides education, training, and leadership development opportunities to young people who face barriers to employment.  The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) designates YouthBuild as a pre-apprenticeship model, which requires alignment with local employer needs, supportive services for participants, career exploration, credential opportunities, and partnership with one or more registered apprenticeship programs.  To learn more about the program, please visit the YouthBuild Community of Practice web page.

FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS CDL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG

Earlier this year, the FCI Edgefield Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Apprenticeship Program successfully completed its first delivery of orders for UNICOR, the trade name for the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (FBOP) Federal Prisons Industries. This is a milestone for FCI Edgefield because the program addresses two critical needs of adults in custody (AICs): skill building and employability.

After earning their Class A CDL, students have the opportunity to enhance those skills by participating in the DOL approved apprenticeship program.  The AICs in the apprenticeship program use their new skills to transport UNICOR-produced goods from two FBOP facilities more than 300 miles between South Carolina and Georgia.  Visit our special page on Apprenticeship.gov to learn how apprenticeship can serve jobseekers facing barriers to employment.

GREENKEEPER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM RECEIVES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT

Just in time for one of the golfing world's major tournaments, the U.S. Open, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced a significant investment in its Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program (GAP).  In collaboration with the Carolinas Golf Association, Pinehurst Resort (host of the 2024 U.S. Open), the Dedman Foundation, and Ewing Outdoor Supply, the USGA is investing over $1 million into GAP to broaden the program’s influence on workforce development for turf management.  Since its inception in December 2022, 19 apprentices have completed the program - a 100% completion rate.  For more information about agriculture apprenticeships, check out our Agriculture Industry page.

MONTANA GOVERNOR VISITS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR UTILITY LINE WORKERS

During Youth Apprenticeship Week, Governor Greg Gianforte highlighted apprenticeship opportunities in Montana by visiting with the Highlands College at Montana Technological University Pre-Apprentice Line Program.  This one semester program helps prepare individuals for positions within the utility industry. Pre-apprentices learn how to assist with the installation, construction, maintenance, and repair of electrical power line systems.  To learn more about energy apprenticeships, check out our Energy Industry page.

PROFILES OF EFFECTIVE APPRENTICESHIP AND WORKFORCE SYSTEM ALIGNMENT

This newsletter periodically features promising practices from the field that foster seamless alignment of Registered Apprenticeship within the broader workforce system.  A vital step for any workforce-focused organization to take in order to be aligned with the apprenticeship ecosystem is to reach out and gather subject matter expertise about the ways in which to begin this process.  In late May, 10 communities from across the country did just that, by attending the second convening of the Youth Systems Building Academy sponsored by DOL.  One of the topic areas specifically requested was a session to discuss how the Registered Apprenticeship system can serve youth and young people ages 16-24.  To learn more, visit the Strategic Partnerships and System Alignment RA TA Center on their web page.

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