Latest Registered Apprenticeship News
DOL Study Finds Substantially
Higher Earnings for those Who Participate in Registered
Apprenticeship – Up to $240,037 over Lifetime
The study focused on 10 states selected to vary in program
features and labor market characteristics, including program
size, region, the degree of union representation in the
state, administrative type (federal or state), and the
degree to which RA is concentrated in a few occupations. The
states are Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland,
Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Individuals who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program
will earn substantially higher wages over their lifetime
according to a study released today by the U.S. Department
of Labor. The study, An Effectiveness Assessment and
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Registered Apprenticeship in 10
States, found that over a career of 36 years, participants
who completed the Registered Apprenticeship program had
average earnings gains of nearly a quarter million dollars
($240,037, increasing to $301,533 with employer benefits
added) compared to nonparticipants. After accounting for
costs such as taxes, the net benefits for those who complete
a Registered Apprenticeship program are $233,828. Even when
individuals who participated in but did not complete
Registered Apprenticeship are added to the analysis, the
estimated average earnings gains for all participants is
still an impressive $98,718 ($123,906 with employer
benefits) over their careers. Taking into account various
costs the estimated net benefits for all RA participants are
$96,911.
Registered Apprenticeship is a career-training program that
offers structured on-the-job training combined with related
technical instruction tailored to industry needs. The
program, created in 1937, seeks to produce well-trained
workers whose skills are in high demand. In 2011, almost
400,000 people across the nation were enrolled in the
program. Registered Apprenticeship is administered by the
Employment and Training Administration’s Office of
Apprenticeship within the U.S. Department of Labor, in
conjunction with State Apprenticeship Agencies.
Apprenticeship programs range from one to six years and are
offered in approximately 1,000 occupations, including the
traditional skilled trades such as electrician, plumber, and
carpenter, as well as occupations including wind turbine
technician, health informatician and geothermal &
well-drilling operator. For apprentices, RA provides
on-the-job training, related technical instruction,
incremental wage increases as skills are attained, and, upon
completion, nationally recognized certification in the
chosen career area. RA programs are delivered by
sponsors—employers, employer associations, and labor
management organizations. Sponsors cover the costs of
training, wages paid to apprentices, costs of managing the
program, and costs associated with time spent by senior
employees to mentor and train apprentices.
This study, led by principle investigator Debbie Reed of
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., assesses the
effectiveness of Registered Apprenticeship and performs a
cost-benefit analysis of the program. The report measures
the net effects of apprenticeship for participants as well
as the social costs and benefits of Registered
Apprenticeship across a variety of state settings. It also
examines the barriers that women face in Registered
Apprenticeship and the best practices for promoting their
success. In addition, the report explores whether federal
and state administered RA programs have patterns of
differences in the programs themselves and their outcomes.
Key Research Findings
• RA participants had substantially higher earnings than did
nonparticipants. Over their career of 36 years, participants
who completed the RA program had average earnings of nearly
a quarter million dollars ($240,037, increasing to $301,533
with employer benefits added). After accounting for costs,
the net benefits for RA completers are $233,828. Even when
non-completers are added to the analysis, the estimated
average earning gains for all participants is still an
impressive $98,718 ($123,906 with employer benefits) over
their careers. Taking into account various costs such as
taxes, apprentices pay on earnings gains, the estimated net
benefits for RA participants are $96,911.
• The social benefits of the RA program appear to be much
larger than the social costs. Over the career of an
apprentice, the estimated social benefits of RA exceed the
social costs by more than $49,000.
• The report finds that female apprentices expressed
positive views of RA but recommends some changes to promote
women’s success. The data demonstrates that women
participate in RA at lower rates than men and are
concentrated in social service occupations (mainly child
care and health care). In the 2010 cohort, women made up
only 9 percent of new apprentices. Women are much less
likely than men to enroll in the traditional skilled trades
and, when they do, they are less likely than men to complete
RA. The women interviewed see their participation in RA as a
pathway to career advancement and higher pay. Those
interviewed suggested strategies to enhance the success of
women in RA: undertaking targeted outreach campaigns,
building women’s basic skills, helping women develop
accurate expectations about particular occupations, adequate
child care, assisting employers to enforce policies to
combat harassment at male-dominated worksites, and peer
groups for support and encouragement.
• RA programs are largely similar in states federally
administered by the OA states and SAA states. Modest
differences were found between OA and SAA states in terms of
the demographics, occupational distribution, completion
rates, and earnings gains of apprentices. The most notable
difference was that SAA states are more easily able to
create partnerships with the workforce system and
educational institutions because they are part of the same
state government.
On 1 August 2012, Secretary of Labor
Hilda L. Solis will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the
signing of the National Apprenticeship Act at the “Out
Educate, Out Build, Out Innovate” summit.
The National Education and Action Summit will bring together
Leaders, Partners and Stakeholders from throughout the
National Registered Apprenticeship System. The National
Education and Action Summit will celebrate the role
Registered Apprenticeship has played in training the U.S.
workforce for the last 75 years and will highlight the role
Registered Apprenticeship can play in training America’s
workforce for the next 75 years by featuring some of the
innovative and trailblazing programs.
I am pleased and honored to announce two of Iowa’s
registered Apprenticeship Programs are being recognized as a
21st Century Registered Apprenticeship Trailblazer and
Innovator. Based on the information that was provided to the
National Office, their program, practice, strategy, or
partnership demonstrates at least one example of the kinds
of innovation and/or trailblazing efforts that has had a
significant impact on the history of Registered
Apprenticeship and/or has implications for Registered
Apprenticeship in the 21st Century.
Please join us in congratulating our two
Registered Apprenticeship Trailblazers and Innovators:
Eastern Iowa Community College (Scott) Registered
Apprenticeship Chef Program and Iowa Electrical
Apprenticeship Training and Educational Trust.
The
Working Poor Families Project - Policy Brief Summer
2011
The Working Poor Families Project (WPFP), launched
in 2002, is a national initiative that works to
improve the ability of low-income workers to
increase their wages. This project partners with
state non-profit organizations and supports their
policy efforts to better prepare America’s working
families for a more secure economic future.
WPFP recently issued a Summer 2011 policy brief,
which states that Registered Apprenticeship is,
“ripe for a rebirth as the nation’s premier pathway
to higher education and sustainable careers across a
wide range of industries, work settings, and
geographic regions.”
Department of Labor Publishes Rules to Modernize
National Apprenticeship System
The Department of Labor's Employment and Training
Administration released updated regulations for the
National Apprenticeship System. The Office of
Apprenticeship has launched a new resource to
provide you with information and to keep you updated
on new developments related to these regulations.
Apprenticeship Inventory Report
The modern system of formal apprenticeship was
constituted in federal law by the Fitzgerald Act
(National Apprenticeship Act) of 1937. The Act
established rules governing the creation of
Registered Apprenticeship programs and gave the U.S.
Department of Labor the authority to set minimum
standards for the health, safety, and welfare of
individuals in apprenticeship programs. The
Department of Labor’s
Office of Apprenticeship currently lists over one
thousand officially recognized apprenticeable
occupations.
If not college, then what?
(CNN) -- At dinner tables throughout the
United States, there are tough conversations about the
exploding cost of college, the rough job market, the pain of
debt.
For parents and students, it adds up to the same question:
Is college worth it?
But American University economics Professor Robert Lerman is
asking something different: If college isn't worth it, what
else is out there?
Read More...
Harvard and Georgetown Reports: RA's Role in
Preparing Americans for Good Jobs
Increasingly, discussions around training U.S. workers
and preparing our young adults for today’s competitive labor
market center on an area that is embedded in the Registered
Apprenticeship model. More than ever, discussions are
focusing on the importance of providing education and
training that provide the opportunity to earn a certificate
or credential that represents achievement of a certain skill
level – something a Registered Apprenticeship Completion
certificate clearly provides.
Read More...
US Department of Labor approves standards for
direct support professional occupation under national
Registered Apprenticeship system
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training
Administration has approved national guidelines for
apprenticeship standards for the occupation of direct
support professional. These standards will enable employers
to use ETA’s Registered Apprenticeship program to train
workers for careers in the long-term care sector of the
health care industry.
Read the News Release...
New Members of Advisory Council on Apprenticeship
Named
A little good advice can go a long ways towards
developing policies and programs that get more Americans
into good jobs. The department has announced the appointment
of new members to the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship.
Comprised of approximately 30 individuals representing labor
unions, employers and the public, the ACA's mission includes
providing advice and recommendations on the development and
implementation of policies, legislation and regulations
affecting apprenticeship; and preparing the American
workforce for sustained employment through employment and
training programs. An open meeting of the ACA will be held
in Washington, D.C., Oct. 27-28.
Read the News Release...
US Department of Labor announces availability of
$1.8 million to assist women in non-traditional occupations
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today
announced the availability of approximately $1.8 million in
funds for up to six Women in Apprenticeship and
Non-traditional Occupations grants.
"In the America of the 21st century, the role of women in
the workplace should be defined by their training and
abilities, not their gender," said Secretary of Labor Hilda
L. Solis. "These grants recognize that women can — and do —
excel in a wide range of professions, from construction and
manufacturing to science and engineering. The U.S.
Department of Labor is committed to helping all women gain
the skills and on-the-job training that will lead to their
long-term success, and I am pleased that today's
announcement brings us closer to that goal."
The grants, jointly administered by the department's Women's
Bureau and its Employment and Training Administration's
Office of Apprenticeship, will support preparatory
apprenticeship opportunities for women entering the
construction industry and other non-traditional sectors,
such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and green
jobs. Grant funding also will support the training of
Registered Apprenticeship sponsors, employers and labor
unions to improve recruitment, selection and retention
strategies for women in non-traditional occupations.
Eligible applicants include community-based organizations
that form a consortium with at least one Registered
Apprenticeship program sponsor in targeted industries.
Organizations must demonstrate their experience in either
directly providing or securing job training services, and
providing placement and support services to women.
Registered Apprenticeship programs will be responsible for
placing women in employment through apprenticeship programs
in the targeted industries.
The solicitation for grant applications is published in
today's Federal Register. Please refer to the notice for
specific eligibility requirements, the closing dates for
applications and other submission requirements. It is
available at
http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/SGA-DFA-PY-09-03.pdf.
For more information about Women's Bureau programs visit
http://www.dol.gov/wb. Visit
http://www.doleta.gov to learn more about the range of
Department of Labor employment and training programs and
initiatives.
Earn Learn Succeed Newsletter
 COMMUNITY
OF PRACTICE (CoP)
Get Connected and Stay Connected!!
http://21stcenturyapprenticeship.workforce3one.org
We launched the Registered Apprenticeship Community of
Practice (CoP) and asked all of you to join us to help
build an online community where we could learn from one
another, share successful approaches and models, and
advance Registered Apprenticeship efforts and
activities. Thanks to you, our community has grown to
become a nationwide network of resources, articles, best
practices and personal stories and experiences specific
to Registered Apprenticeship.
The Community of Practice offers the following features:
•
E-lert capability to provide you with daily updates
about new CoP content;
• An RSS feed to provide you with immediate news and
image gallery updates;
• A live chat feature that allows you to discuss ideas,
challenges, solutions with your colleagues and with
experts across the country…anytime, on-demand;
• New resources related to “hot topics” such as green
jobs and Recovery Act activities;
• Reorganized menus and quick searches to help you find
more targeted resources, faster, and in a multitude of
ways;
• Access to our Registered Apprenticeship communities on
Facebook and Twitter;
• Targeted Community space for stakeholder groups such
as apprentices and sponsors;
• Enhanced industry-specific tools and resources in
sectors such as aerospace, geospatial technology, and
healthcare; and
• A wide array of fresh content, including videos,
tutorials,
marketing and outreach materials, and
promising practices.
http://21stcenturyapprenticeship.workforce3one.org
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