OCTOBER 2024
As we enjoy these early days of fall, the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) can look back on a summer filled with activity. Listed below are just some of the highlights.
- On June 18, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations on the prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements related to increased credit or deduction amounts for certain clean energy incentives, enacted as a part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These regulations allow for increased credit or deduction for taxpayers meeting prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, creating opportunities for both workers and employers.
- On July 10, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and OA announced the award of more than $39 million in formula grants to 46 states and territories under the second round of the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) Grants. Additionally, a second round of $49 million in competitive SAEF grants were awarded to nine states. Collectively, these funding streams will aid recipients in offering industries the expertise to expand and modernize Registered Apprenticeships to create and strengthen career pathways and opportunities for all workers to obtain good jobs with competitive wages.
- And on July 11, nearly $195 million in funding was awarded under the second round of the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) initiative, which supports public-private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals. The program will help expand the use of Registered Apprenticeships across in-demand fields, such as K-12 education, clean energy, IT and cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, supply chain, hospitality, care economy, and public-sector occupations. This month, on October 15 – 17, OA convened both the ABA, Round 1 and 2 awardees for a series of educational and information sharing sessions covering topics including using data to enhance program diversity, supporting apprentice retention, and pre-apprenticeship promising practices. Attendees were also able to participate in a regional “meet and greet” session and also industry peer exchanges to discuss best practices.
The excitement has continued during the past month as a number of other important developments occurred that will lead to further expansion of our National Apprenticeship System. Some of these are highlighted in this edition of our regular newsletter.
The DOL Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) held its second meeting of the 2024 - 2026 term on September 12 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the meeting, members had the opportunity to hear directly from a variety of partners working within the National Apprenticeship system. Areas of focus included a robust discussion on how the Pittsburgh Workforce Hub, working in partnership with Pennsylvania’s Apprenticeship System, has successfully been able to connect workers to good jobs.
The ACA members also heard from a panel of Registered Apprentices, representing both the cybersecurity/information technology and advanced manufacturing industry sectors. These young people shared their individual journeys in becoming Registered Apprentices, and how earning and learning has positively transformed their lives.
To read more about the work of the ACA while in Pittsburgh, we invite you to visit our ACA Meetings web page.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2024 IS LESS THAN 30 DAYS AWAY!
In just a few weeks, 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. Below are links to some key resources for you to utilize as you plan your NAW 2024 activities.
Now is the time for you and your organization to plan and register your events as well as to submit your NAW 2024 proclamations! If you would like to discuss your NAW 2024 plans with us, please feel free to reach out via e-mail at: NationalApprenticeshipWeek@dol.gov
SAVANNAH RIVER SITE WELCOMES FIRST YOUTH APPRENTICES
On September 12, the Savannah River Site Apprenticeship School welcomed six high school students to its inaugural youth apprenticeship program. The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a key Department of Energy (DOE) industrial complex responsible for national security and missions, disposition of nuclear materials, waste management, and environmental cleanup and stewardship. This program offers rising high school juniors or seniors to work experience by completing on-the-job training within departments across the Site.
For more information about the wide variety of energy apprenticeships available, check out our Energy Industry page.
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE HOSTS 2024 NATIONAL DISABILITY LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
On September 17, the Department of Commerce hosted an in-person National Disability Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., to amplify and promote disability and neurodivergent inclusive development to empower and include disabled Americans. The summit served as an opportunity to share resources and connections between disabled communities and federal government agencies. Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, OA's Investments Division Director, discussed funding resources available to support individuals with disabilities and Registered Apprenticeship.
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OA PRESENTS AT THE NATIONAL YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP SUMMIT
The annual National Youth Apprenticeship Summit was held in Indianapolis, Indiana from September 17-19. This year's summit, sponsored by CareerWise and the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship, brought together hundreds of youth apprenticeship practitioners from across the country to learn and share best practices about how to forge new pathways for our young people. The focus was on both programs and systems, offering a comprehensive view of the strategies and practices driving success in youth apprenticeships. Gemma Thomas, Strategic Partnerships Team Lead, presented a session sharing information and resources that can be used to build a communications and engagement strategy for attendees to use as they plan for National Apprenticeship Week.
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MAINE AQUACULTURE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS HOLDS ITS FIRST GRADUATION CEREMONY
In July, the first six Registered Apprentices graduated from the Maine Aquaculture Association's Registered Apprenticeship program. This program was established in December 2022, and has had a total of 16 apprentices since inception. This innovative program is a hands-on, farm-based position where apprentices work on a boat/floating barge in a variety of weather conditions. According to Katherine Lipp - one of the graduates, “I'm proud of myself that I made it through that and that I know I held out for all those hours, but I didn't expect that for myself, but I did it.” Please visit the Agriculture Industry page on Apprenticeship.gov to learn more about exciting career opportunities such as this one.
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PENNSYLVANIA APPROVES FIRST EVER ELECTRIC VEHICLE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
On September 12, the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Office approved the nation’s first-ever electric vehicle automotive technician Registered Apprenticeship program. This new program, sponsored by the German American Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh Chapter, consists of 185 hours of technical instruction and full-time, paid on-the-job training with auto dealership participating employers. Related Technical Instruction will be provided by the Community College of Allegheny County’s West Hills campus. Program graduates will earn 15 college credits and certifications as electric vehicle automotive technicians.
You can learn more about Registered Apprenticeships for automotive repair in the Transportation Industry page or related to clean energy on the Energy Industry page, both on Apprenticeship.gov.
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INDIANA'S INDUSTRY LEADERS CREATE A STATEWIDE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PLAN
A group of about 200 Indiana leaders, representing a wide array of industries, released a new statewide education pathway on September 17. The overall objective of this plan is to create additional classroom and work-based learning opportunities, particularly in the form of apprenticeships, for high school students. Concurrent to this effort, education officials and other policymakers in Indiana are working to maximize “flexibility” and allow students to customize learning pathways and experiences, including apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities. Visit the Youth Apprenticeship Page on Apprenticeship.gov to learn more about how to connect youth and young people to the Registered Apprenticeship system!
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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. State and local level workforce development agencies should strongly consider collaborating with existing Registered Apprenticeship sponsors to address critical industry and occupational shortages. As an example, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Madison College, and University of Wisconsin Health (UW Health) have partnered to create the nation’s first respiratory therapist Registered Apprenticeship. According to Amy Pechacek, secretary of the DWD, “addressing the workforce gaps in health care is essential for our health and for our health care system.”
To learn more, visit the Strategic Partnerships and System Alignment RA TA Center on their web page.
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