Innovations in Apprenticeship: 5 Case Studies That Illustrate the Promise of Apprenticeship...

“This report examines a suite of innovative apprenticeship models from around the country. It provides detailed case studies of Vermont Healthcare and Information Technology Education Center, or Vermont HITEC; the Michigan Advanced Technologies Training program, or MAT2; the SEIU Healthcare NW Training Partnership; the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, or NIMS, Certified Registered Apprenticeship program; and Apprenticeship Carolina. From effective marketing and business engagement to financial incentives and thorough skills assessments, these models exemplify a number of compelling strategies to expand apprenticeships into new occupations and sectors and to increase overall apprenticeship enrollment” (p.2). Each case study provides an overview of the apprenticeship program, identifies the sponsoring employers, describes the relevant occupations and sectors, explains the intermediary organization, and lists the public funding sources and amount received. (Abstractor: Author and Website Staff)

Full publication title: Innovations in Apprenticeship: 5 Case Studies That Illustrate the Promise of Apprenticeship in the United States

The case studies reveal the following commonalities among strong innovative models for apprenticeship programs: • “A strong intermediary is key to a strong apprenticeship program. Whether it is a nonprofit such as Vermont HITEC, a state agency such as Apprenticeship Carolina, or a joint labor-management program such as SEUI Healthcare NW Training Partnership, a successful, far-reaching apprenticeship program will have a strong intermediary. The role of the intermediary is to coordinate between stakeholders, including employers, educational institutions, the Department of Labor, and state governments. An effective intermediary will also conduct outreach to employers and provide the technical assistance necessary to help employers establish a functional apprenticeship program. • A little public investment goes a long way. Each of the programs profiled in this report has leveraged public dollars to bring in private investment in worker training. For example, while South Carolina’s modest $1,000 employer tax credit does not fully cover the costs of sponsoring an apprentice—especially for many small companies that may not even have tax liability with the state—it does serve as a vital marketing took that bring employers to the table. As Apprenticeship Carolina has demonstrated, once employers are at the table, they stay. • Industry-recognized credentials add value to apprenticeships in nontraditional occupations. The Center for American Progress recently highlighted the value that industry credentials can bring to an apprenticeship. Incorporating industry-recognized credentials into an apprenticeship program ensures that workers who complete their apprenticeship gain a credential that is nationally recognized and truly portable” (p.15). (Abstractor: Author and Website Staff)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2014
• Author(s): Steinberg, Sarah Ayres; Gurwitz, Ethan
• Organizational Author(s): Center for American Progress
• Funding Source: Funding source not identified
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by: Wesley Peterson
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies