WHAT IS REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP?
Registered Apprenticeship is a formal system of employee training that combines on-the-job training with related technical instruction. It is designed to produce craft-workers that are fully competent in all aspects of an occupation, including: knowledge, skill and proficiency on the job. With registered apprenticeship training, there is a written apprenticeship agreement between the apprentice and the employer, approved by and registered with the U. S. Dept. of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship. The agreement specifies the length of the training, school hours, an outline of the skills of the trade to be learned and the wages the apprentice will receive.

The U.S. Dept. of Labor’s apprenticeship program allows employers to design their own apprenticeship program which provides apprentices with specific skills, training and job-related instruction tailored to the company’s needs.


WHAT IS AN APPRENTICE?
A qualified person of legal working age who has signed an apprenticeship agreement with an employer, and approved by the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, for on-the-job training and related instruction which the employer is to provide.


WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES HAVE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS?
A variety of types and sizes of businesses have apprenticeship programs. Automotive, Construction, Culinary, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation benefit greatly from apprenticeship programs. In fact, without a continuous flow of apprentices becoming skilled journey workers, quality industrial standards would be severely affected. Recently, the U. S. Dept. of Labor has developed apprenticeship programs for Automotive System Specialist, CNC Setup Programmer, Dental Assistant, Hotel Associate, Low-voltage System Installer, to name a few.


WHO CAN SPONSOR AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?
Individual employers, a group of employers, or combinations of employers and unions. Program sponsors may be governmental agencies at all levels, including universities and the military. In Idaho, program sponsors represent all types of business and industry throughout the state. Most sponsors employ less than 50 employees, are locally owned, and train one to four apprentices at one time. Most have no training department or training personnel.


HOW DOES FEDERAL VOCATIONAL LEGISLATION DEFINE "APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM"?
"A program registered with the U. S. Department of Labor or an approved state apprenticeship agency in accordance with the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937, which is conducted or sponsored by an employer, a group of employers, or a joint apprenticeship committee representing both employees and a union, and which contains all terms and conditions for the qualification, recruitment, selection, employment, and training of apprentices."


WHAT ROLE DOES GOVERNMENT PLAY IN APPRENTICESHIP?
The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 authorizes the federal government, in cooperation with the states, to oversee the nation's apprenticeship system. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship is responsible for registering apprenticeship programs that meet federal and state standards, issuing Certificates of Completion to apprentices, encouraging the development of new programs through marketing and technical assistance, protecting the safety of and welfare of apprentices, and assuring that all programs provide high quality training to their apprentices.
 

WHAT IS THE OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP?
It is an agency of the United States Department of Labor that stimulates and assists industry in the development, expansion, and improvement of apprenticeship and training programs. The Office of Apprenticeship’s principal functions are to encourage the establishment of sound apprenticeship and training programs and to provide technical assistance to industry in setting up such programs.


MUST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS REGISTER WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S, OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP?
In order to receive nationally recognized program registration and completion credentials from the U.S. Department of Labor, an apprenticeship program and apprentices must be registered with the Office of Apprenticeship.
 

WHAT SERVICES DOES THE OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDE?

• Job profiling and task analysis
• Customizing standards and work processes to meet a company’s needs.
• Assisting in development of competency based training
• Coordinating related instruction with colleges or other approved training providers.
• Assisting in developing recordkeeping systems.
• Assisting in developing qualification and procedures for recruiting apprentices.
•  Offering technical assistance on a continual basis.
•  Coordinating VA approval for eligible veterans for VA benefits.
• Issuing nationally recognized credentials to completers of the apprenticeship program

MUST PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS THAT OFFER APPRENTICESHIP RELATED TRAINING BE REGISTERED WITH THE OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP?
No.


WHAT IS A SCHOOL-TO-REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?
It is a collaborative effort between business, industry, labor, the Office of Apprenticeship, and education. The linkage may serve secondary, postsecondary, or adult students. School-to-Apprenticeship Programs are similar to cooperative education: both involve formalized on-the-job training and require related classroom instruction. Some-times, school-to-apprenticeship is part of co-op, with co-op coordinators recruiting the youth, assisting in placement, and arranging for related instruction.


WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A SCHOOL-TO-REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?
To enable persons to achieve apprenticeship entrance competencies and advanced standing while achieving their formal educational requirements. Students are guided into part-time (cooperative) employment or preparatory in-school training as registered, part-time apprentices leading to an accepted journeyperson level as an occupational goal, including transition to full-time registered apprenticeship upon satisfactory completion of the formal vocational/technical program.


HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?
Nationally, approximately 450,000 individuals participate in 45,000 registered apprenticeship programs. In Idaho approximately 1300 apprentices are registered in 220 registered apprenticeship programs.


ARE APPRENTICES EMPLOYED?
Yes. Apprentices must be full-time or near full-time employees of the company to which they are apprenticed. However, in the event of school-to-apprentice programs, registered apprentices may be part-time. Apprenticeship activities may cease for the apprentice if either laid off or unemployed. Cessation or continuance of apprenticeship activities may depend on length of time of layoff or unemployment.


WHAT RATE OF PAY DO APPRENTICES RECEIVE?
Salaries vary from industry to industry. The average starting wage of an apprentice is approximately 40%-50% of a journey worker's rate of pay. The employer, (Program Sponsor), is required to progressively increase the apprentices wages during the term of apprenticeship, provided the on-the- job training and school performance is satisfactory. The apprentice starting wage rate must not be less than any applicable state or federal minimum wage law.


WHAT TYPE OF CERTIFICATION IS RECEIVED?
Upon completing the apprenticeship program, the employee receives an Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor. This Certificate is one of the oldest, most basic, and most highly portable industry credentials in use today. The Certificate is recognized not only nationally but also globally.


HOW MANY OCCUPATIONS ARE APPRENTICEABLE?
Over 900 occupations are recognized by the U. S. Department of Labor as being apprenticeable. More are added from year to year.


WHAT SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONS ARE APPRENTICEABLE?
Apprenticeable Occupations Too numerous to list; however, the current occupations "officially recognized as apprenticeable occupations" by the Office of Apprenticeship are available from the Office of Apprenticeship. Titles and codes of the apprenticeable occupations are listed in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).


WHO DIRECTLY SUPERVISES APPRENTICES WORKING ON THE JOB?
Apprentices are directly supervised by journeypersons. The ratio of apprentices assigned to a journeyperson is dependent on the trade or craft involved, union contracts, and other agreements.


WHAT IS RELATED TRAINING?
Related instruction is the "classroom" portion of apprenticeship and is an integral part of an apprenticeship program. It provides each apprentice with the theoretical and technical knowledge base necessary to become a successful journeyperson. It also provides additional practice and useful examples of job-related skills and knowledge at work. All registered programs include related subjects instruction. The National Apprenticeship and Training Standards recommend a minimum of 144 hours per year of apprenticeship be provided in related and supplementary subjects. This period of time can be increased by trade and craft standards or by program sponsors if content warrants the increase. Some industries require as much as 200 to 300 hours yearly in related subjects study by apprentices.


IS RELATED TRAINING REQUIRED OF AN APPRENTICESHIP?
Yes. The arrangement of on-the-job and related training is a standard part of the registered apprenticeship program.


HOW MANY HOURS OF RELATED TRAINING ARE REQUIRED PER YEAR?
144 hours per year of apprenticeship is recommended.


WHERE CAN RELATED TRAINING BE PROVIDED?
At post secondary school, secondary schools offering related trade classes and if approved, on-line courses. Related instruction can also be conducted at a plant, union hall, etc.. In extenuating circumstances, for example: when the apprentice lives in a rural area or when the particular apprenticeable trade population does not warrant class size training, the related training may be provided to the apprentice(s) by correspondence course or by independent study arrangements.


WHO DETERMINES RELATED TRAINING CURRICULUM?
The sponsor of the program establishes training curriculum. Some trades and crafts with national associations or unions provide nationally-recognized curriculum; however, such curriculum may be tailored to the local level needs of the program. All related training curriculum must be approved by the Office of Apprenticeship.


WHEN DOES THE APPRENTICE ATTEND RELATED TRAINING?
Most apprentices attend related training after normal working hours, (evenings and/or weekends).


WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF APPRENTICES?
Requirements vary depending upon the apprenticeable trade or craft. Some require very specific educational requirements; however, most require a high school diploma or its equivalent.


HOW CAN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ASSIST THE APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM?
By providing evaluation and assessment services, associate degree programs, pre-
apprenticeship experiences, curriculum development projects, instructor training and certification, related instruction, and advisory committee participation. Few of these are provided to the apprenticeship system. Generally, the related instruction is the most common type of service available from the educational system.


CAN APPRENTICES EARN COLLEGE CREDIT FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP EXPERIENCE?
Yes. Idaho technical colleges offer college credit for many apprentices. Many large corporations/unions in Idaho (and nationally) have transferred apprenticeship-related training to postsecondary institutions from non-postsecondary schools in order for the apprentices to receive college credit. Post-secondary Routes to Employment


HOW LONG DO TRADITIONAL APPRENTICESHIPS LAST?
The traditional apprenticeship system stipulates requirements about the time period for training. For example, the required length of time for training ranges from one to six years, depending upon the specific trade. The majority of programs require three to four years of work and study to complete an apprenticeship.


HOW LONG DO PERFORMANCE-BASED APPRENTICESHIPS LAST?
Under the performance-based approach, the time required by an apprentice to accomplish individual tasks and complete the overall program depends on the apprentice's ability to complete the work. Apprentices are permitted to move ahead at their own pace, depending on their prior training, ability to master the task, and motivation to progress.


DO THE MILITARY SERVICES OFFER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS?
Yes. The national apprenticeship system includes over 50,000 apprentices registered in programs sponsored by the United States Armed Forces. Some are civilians.


IS AN EMPLOYER REQUIRED TO ACCEPT APPRENTICESHIP CREDIT EARNED IN THE MILITARY OR OTHER SOURCES?
No; however, many companies generally will allow some credit based on bona fide work records provided by either the previous employer or prospective employee. In fact, credit may be given on past employment even if the past employer was not participating in a registered apprenticeship program. Prospective employers may require testing to verify the potential employee's performance level.