What's New?

The Secretary's ACA Holds its First Virtual Meeting:

Washington, D.C. - The Secretary's Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) will hold its first virtual meeting May 9-10, 2012. The virtual meeting will provide cost savings for the Department of Labor while allowing for a greater degree of public participation and transparency.

The ACA will consider matters affecting Registered Apprenticeship programs, and focus specifically on activities in support of the 75th Anniversary of the signing of National Apprenticeship Act of 1937, which includes a review of Trailblazer and Innovator submissions, from around the country, in response to the 21st Century Registered Apprenticeship Challenge. In addition, the ACA will hear updates from various ACA workgroups and hear comments from the public as requested.

All ACA meetings are open to the public; if you are interested in having access to the meeting, please submit your intention to attend this virtual meeting to John V. Ladd at oa.administrator@dol.gov, subject line "Virtual ACA Meeting." Participants for this meeting will need to log on to the website listed under the PLACE section below to access meeting materials, and dial the phone number listed under the PLACE section below to access the audio portion of the meeting:

DATE:     May 9-10, 2012

PLACE:   Website: http://mahernet.adobeconnect.com/r1c8kyosj2w/
Audio:   1-888-972-9343; pass code: 7951751

TIME:    1:00 p.m. EST - 5:00 p.m. EST

*Please note members of the public are encouraged to attend the meeting virtually. For members of the public wishing to attend in person, a listening room with limited seating will be made available upon request:

DOL Listening Room: Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210, Room 2, C5515

For Technical Difficulties during the Virtual Meeting - Participants should call the Maher and Maher help desk at (732) 918-8000.

Click here for a copy of the meeting agenda
Click here for the Federal Register notice for additional meetings details

Computer Hardware Setup

• To participate in our virtual conferencing event, you'll need a computer with a high-speed connection to the internet to view the webinar room, and you'll need a speakerphone to dial-in to the conference call phone line set up for the meeting.
• Software System Check
  Please click the following link to perform a simple system diagnostic to ensure you can access the Adobe Connect webinar room: Test Your System

Office of Apprenticeship Accepting ACA Nominations

The Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship is now accepting nominations for a limited number of new members of the Secretary of Labor's Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA).  The ACA operates in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and is authorized by 29 U.S.C. 50a, which permits the Secretary of Labor to appoint a national advisory committee to serve without compensation.

The ACA includes a balanced group of members from the employer, labor and public sectors.  The mission of the ACA is to provide advice and recommendations on the development and implementation of policies, legislation and regulations affecting Registered Apprenticeship.

Nominations must be submitted by March 30*, 2012 via e-mail to: OA.Administrator@dol.gov.  Please include an official biography for the individual you are nominating and contact information for the Office of Apprenticeship to contact you for any additional information that may be required.

"*Note: The March 30 submission deadline corrects the DOL newsletter which previously provided March 16 as the deadline."

Secretary's ACA Hold its Fifth Meeting

Washington, D.C. - The Secretary's Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) will hold its fifth meeting of the year at the Department of Labor's Francis Perkins Building on February 2 - February 3, 2012.

The ACA will continue to explore a variety of issues impacting the Registered Apprenticeship community and stakeholders. The February meeting will cover several topics, including: supporting the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011; collaboration between YouthBuild and Registered Apprenticeship programs; planning for 75th Anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937; and an overview on the preliminary findings of a report discussing the net social benefits of Registered Apprenticeship.

All ACA meetings are open to the public; if you are interested in attending please click on the Federal Register notice below for additional meetings details.

Link to the Federal Register publication on the meeting

Office of Apprenticeship Announces Changes to Registration Form
The Office of Apprenticeship (OA) published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2011, a notice requesting public comments on revisions to the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Form 671, Sections I (Program Registration) and II (Apprentice Registration) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995.

This 60-day pre-clearance public comment period ends November 28, 2011. After the comments are reviewed and considered, OA will seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a three-year extension, with revisions, to the currently approved form that expires on January 31, 2012.

Changes to both Sections I and II of ETA Form 671 correspond to the changes implemented with the Final Rule on Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations Part 29, published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2008. The regulations, revised for the first time since 1977, implemented changes that will increase program flexibility, enhance program quality and accountability, and promote apprenticeship opportunity in the 21st century, while continuing to safeguard the welfare of apprentices.

Click here for a copy of the Title 29 CFR 29 proposed collection of information that will be submitted to OMB. The public is encouraged to provide comments on or before November 28, 2011, to the Office of Apprenticeship by emailing us at oa.administrator@dol.gov.

Top Questions about RA

What is Registered Apprenticeship?

Registered Apprenticeship programs meet the skilled workforce needs of American industry, training millions of qualified individuals for lifelong careers since 1937. Registered Apprenticeship helps mobilize America's workforce with structured, on-the-job learning in traditional industries such as construction and manufacturing, as well as new emerging industries such as health care, information technology, energy, telecommunications and more. Registered Apprenticeship connects job seekers looking to learn new skills with employers looking for qualified workers, resulting in a workforce with industry-driven training and employers with a competitive edge.

What types of jobs are available through Registered Apprenticeship?

The Registered Apprenticeship program offers access to 1,000 career areas, including the following top occupations:

• Able seaman
• Carpenter
• Chef
• Child care development specialist
• Construction craft laborer
• Dental assistant
• Electrician
• Elevator constructor
• Fire medic
• Law enforcement agent
• Over-the-road truck driver
• Pipefitter

How does Registered Apprenticeship benefit employers?

In addition to available tax benefits and workforce development grants in some states, Registered Apprenticeship benefits employers by providing them with a pipeline of skilled workers with industry-specific training and hands-on experience. Registered Apprenticeship programs are customizable to match employers' needs, and highly flexible to always to meet employers' changing requirements.

For more information on how RA benefits employers, click here.

Earn Learn Succeed Newsletter

ELS, the official Office of Apprenticeship e-newsletter, communicates timely information about the revised apprenticeship regulations including related meetings and events.

• Most Recent ELS newsletter: Volume 3, Issue 1 (Posted March 8, 2010)
  
• Previous

Recently Issued

• Research
  • This is a study ETA commissioned by Robert Lerman of the Urban Institute and American University, "The Benefits and Challenges of Registered Apprenticeship: The Sponsors' Perspective." Findings show that 97 percent of Registered Apprenticeship sponsors—employers and labor-management programs alike— are highly satisfied with the model and would recommend it to other businesses. More than 80 percent of sponsors say that they use Registered Apprenticeship to meet their need for skilled workers. Another 72 percent say that Registered Apprenticeship helps them show which workers have needed skills; and 68 percent feel that the model raises productivity, strengthens worker morale and pride and improves worker safety. Few other publicly funded workforce programs have this level of satisfaction from employers and labor-management partnerships.
  • Washington State Workforce Board 2008 Evaluation of Apprenticeship
  • Oregon's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs: Meeting the Demands of a 21st Century Economy
  • Middle Class Task Force Report - Green Jobs: A Pathway to a Strong Middle Class
• Other
  • 
    You spoke and we listened. Many of you in attendance at the recent Action Clinics requested a forum to continue to share best practices, identify common solutions, and explore new ideas. In response to your requests, OA is excited to announce the launch of your Community of Practice (CoP), a new online forum for continuous information sharing, highlighting of best practices, and exploration of innovative new ideas and projects. Stay connected with your colleagues, share your challenges and solutions, post all the great materials from the Action Clinics and other venues related to apprenticeship, and learn about new strategies and approaches. A key characteristic of the CoP is that members "own" and drive the process of sharing, learning, knowledge development, and stewardship. The community was created to provide all partners who support registered apprenticeship with open channels of communication, increased knowledge, and broader access to information and materials. Some areas around which the community will be opening its' doors for discussion include: Employers and National Sponsors - promote your program; highlight your innovative efforts and recruit new apprentices:
    
    

    Apprentices - share your experiences with your peers and others

    Registered Apprenticeship - learn best practices around leveraging Workforce Investment Act (WIA) partners and other key stakeholders

    WIA programs and One-Stop Career Centers - learn how integrating Registered Apprenticeship can increase options for your customers and improve your performance measures

    Education Communities - learn how registered apprenticeship can support your students and provide one seamless pathway to career success

    Join the CoP today by clicking here.

Guidance

• Department of Labor Publishes Rules to Modernize National Apprenticeship System