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Posts Tagged ‘apprenticeship’

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What Works in Postsecondary Work-Based Learning?

Tuesday, March 24th, 2020

Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. As the labor market changes and demands for a skilled workforce increase, there is renewed interest in work-based learning (WBL) programs across the country. Earlier this month The Urban Institute released a report on the topic, titled Expanding and Improving Work-Based Learning in Community Colleges. The report draws on national data and interviews with six community colleges and documents what is known about the implementation and outcomes of WBL models in community colleges, what strategies community colleges are adopting to measure WBL, and potential steps to improve measurement and address key challenges in expanding and improving WBL in community colleges. 

At the postsecondary level, WBL consists of opportunities such as apprenticeships, internships and cooperative education (co-op), which provide career preparation and training in a work setting that involves supervision or mentoring and connects to classroom or academic experience. Community colleges are vitally important institutions in preparing learners for the workforce, as they award most of the career-oriented credentials in the country. However measurement of WBL in community college contexts is limited and, as such, we know little about how common WBL programs are in these institutions, what models and approaches work best and for whom, who is able to access opportunities, and what outcomes and impacts they deliver for learners, businesses partners and colleges. 

Findings from the report suggest several challenges facing WBL programs including access, equity and diversity. These challenges are even more pressing given the evidence of positive outcomes for learners who are able to experience WBL. The report found that participants in Registered Apprenticeship programs earn higher wages, are more productive, and are less likely to use public benefit programs compared to comparable workers. 

In order to improve WBL at the community college level, the report recommends strategies for measuring WBL, evaluating progress toward diversity and equity goals, and improving data collection practices. For example Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has an institutional research staff member working in their career center. This person collects and analyzes data that in turn informs career services. The report specifically recommends state education and workforce officials develop state definitions of WBL, develop common data elements for tracking WBL, share employment data with colleges to support performance improvement, and incorporate WBL into the state longitudinal systems of data tracking. 

Community colleges are in a unique position to change the way WBL is experienced across the country. They serve about 12 million diverse learners, many of whom are women or learners of color. This makes these institutions ideal vehicles for closing long-standing equity gaps in the labor market, preparing the workforce, giving students the skills and knowledge for jobs and careers, and partnering with employers to provide the talent they need.

Brian Robinson, Policy Associate

By admin in Uncategorized
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Senate CTE Caucus Holds Briefing on Swiss Apprenticeships

Monday, June 10th, 2019

Last week, the Senate CTE Caucus and Embassy of Switzerland hosted a briefing on Swiss-Inspired Apprenticeships in the U.S.: Recent Initiatives and Developments. The afternoon included a variety of remarks from the Swiss, United States federal government, student and administrator perspectives on the impacts of apprenticeship programs.

Swiss Ambassador Martin Dahinden began the briefing by sharing that two out of three students in Switzerland participates in an apprenticeship, and 40 percent of all businesses participate without being compensated by the federal government. Simon Marti, speaking from the Swiss Embassy, explained that the apprenticeship model is 60 percent privately funded, 10 percent by cantons (a Swiss canton is equivalent to a U.S. state) and 30 percent federally funded. Participating companies get approximately a half billion dollar return on investment just during the initial training period.

Marti outlined the three factors that have led to success for the Swiss apprenticeship model:

  1. The apprenticeship model is fully integrated into the education system;
  2. There are strong public-private partnerships; and
  3. Apprenticeships are comprehensive and labor market oriented.

The apprenticeship model takes on a systems approach that involved three core partners- the federal government, cantons and the private sector- that all share one common mission. The close working relationship between the three, operating under a common goal, leads to effective apprenticeship programs.

Senate CTE Caucus Co-Chairs, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined the briefing as well, and each gave remarks voicing support of expanding opportunities for high-quality apprenticeships.

The full list of speakers included:

Meredith Hills, Policy Associate

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Opportunity America Report and Panels: Industry-Driven Apprenticeship

Tuesday, February 26th, 2019

Over the past five years, renewed  attention has been placed on apprenticeships. This began with investment from the Obama administration, and has continued to be a priority for the current administration. A series of panels last week, hosted by Opportunity America, discussed what to consider when developing and expanding registered and unregistered high-quality apprenticeships, and what the future holds for such programs.

The first panel featured: Tamar Jacoby, Opportunity America; Robert Lerman, Urban Institute; and Brent Parton, New America, with Eric Seleznow as the moderator. Panelists discussed the importance of ensuring that apprenticeship programs address equity and access issues to meet the needs of all learners, as well as represent the communities that they are serving. The panel also discussed the role of states in industry recognized apprenticeships. Tamar suggested that it may be the state’s responsibility to determine what high-quality means, assess what programs are high-quality and create incentives for other businesses to follow that mode. Parton also noted that states play a large role in coordinating systems alignment.

The second panel featured: Laura Beeth, Fairview Health Services; Michael Coley, Automotive Service Excellence Education Foundation; and Robbie Heinrich, Dana Holding Corporation with Tamar Jacoby as the moderator. This discussion featured the employer perspective. All panelists reiterated the importance of including employers when creating apprenticeship policies. Employers cannot be used just in implementation of policy (as an apprenticeship supplier) but must also be involved in creating the foundation of that policy.  

This event also introduced Opportunity America’s report, Industry-Driven Apprenticeship: What Works, What’s Needed by Jacoby and Lerman. This report explores the results of the U.S. Department of Education’s 2016 Adult Training and Education Survey, as well as reviews four case studies of high-quality unregistered apprenticeships in construction, advanced manufacturing, health care and automotive maintenance and repair. The authors also organized a half-day meeting of about 20 employers and employer association executives to learn about program standards from their perspective.

This report offers five policy principal recommendations:

  1. Create a respected and brand-recognized apprenticeship that is an alternative to traditional academic education;
  2. Develop some form of standardized occupational frameworks;
  3. Utilize public funds currently directed to less impactful types of workforce education and training to finance the off-job part of registered and unregistered apprenticeships;
  4. Provide financial incentives for organizations and industry groups to act as the intermediary; and  
  5. Develop outcome metrics to assess quality.

A recording of the full panels, as well as an introduction of the new report, can be viewed here.

Meredith Hills, Policy Associate

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High School Senior, Brian Elvidge, Shares How CTE and SkillsUSA Helped Him Get Back in the Game

Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

For any athlete an injury can throw off more than just your season. For Brian Elvidge, a senior at Durango High School in Colorado, injuring his knee as a sophomore brought his athletic season to a halt. He had to have surgery and his vision for the future was dimming daily including his overall interest in school. He did the minimum required to remain eligible to stay on the football team.

Elvidge’s friend and co-president of the Durango High School SkillsUSA chapter suggested he join SkillsUSA, a national nonprofit student organization that serves students enrolled in Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) like SkillsUSA provide learners with the ability to hone their knowledge and technical skills and demonstrate them through regional, state and even national competitions. He decided to join.

“SkillsUSA got me out of a rough time and gave me hope,” said Elvidge when asked about his experience after joining his high school chapter. Durango high school is one of 13,000 school chapters in all fifty states and four U.S. territories.

Over the next two years, Elvidge also enrolled in CTE courses starting with welding. He enjoys working with his hands and believes CTE coursework could be used in the future not only as preparation for his future career but in his life.

His junior year, he decided to try another CTE course — carpentry. He was aware that there was a woodshop on campus and thought he should utilize the opportunity to gain hands on learning in carpentry, electric and plumbing right on campus. Before enrolling, he did his own research by asking his peers about the course, and finding that they spoke highly of the instructor, Shaun Smith, who also serves as the SkillsUSA advisor.

Smith has over twenty years of teaching experience and received the additional training necessary to lead a new pre-apprenticeship program. This program incorporates the Home Builders Institute PACT curriculum. One hand on experience includes constructing a life sized and livable “Mini Home.” Throughout the build, learners gain employability and real-world skills, through a meaningful work-based learning opportunity that mirrors what they would be doing in the workplace. Elvidge, along with his classmates, can graduate high school with the Home Builders Institute (HBI) Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate. To date, he has already earned the home builder association basic knowledge and safety certificate.

After his knee healed, he returned to the football field. However, he didn’t stop his participation in SkillsUSA and at his first regional competition; he placed third in a carpentry competition.

Elvidge continued to challenge himself and applied to become the SkillsUSA state officer. “It gave me something to work for and I learned about being a leader,” said Elvidge.

Now in his senior year, he is a leader on and off the football field. “I know what I want to do with my life now and I can prepare for my future,” Elvidge shared. He understands that the skills and certificates he earns now can always be used toward his future in whichever path he decides to follow.

Nicole Howard, Communications Associate

By admin in Uncategorized
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Incorporating Youth Apprenticeships in Career Technical Education Pathways

Wednesday, December 19th, 2018

This blog was originally published as part of the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship Blog Series

By integrating classroom instruction and hands-on learning, both youth apprenticeships and Career Technical Education (CTE) can enhance a learner’s educational experience and better prepare them for future career success. Putting Learner Success First: A Shared Vision for the Future of CTE underscores the significance of coordinating high-quality youth apprenticeships and CTE, empowering learners through work-based learning and strong systems alignment anchored in learner success. Rather than isolating CTE as a separate educational strategy, an integrated approach to education and training can ensure that all learners have opportunities to succeed in a career of their choosing.

Advance CTE recently expanded our commitment to youth apprenticeship programs by joining the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship Initiative (PAYA). CTE can and should have a clear role in helping to achieve all five of the PAYA principles for high quality youth apprenticeships. In particular, the “Career-Oriented” PAYA principle that “learning is structured around knowledge, skills, and competencies that lead to careers with family-supporting wages” is supported by bringing together apprenticeship and CTE programs.

High-quality youth apprenticeships share the same core elements as CTE programs of study. For example, Advance CTE’s Policy Benchmark Tool identifies rigorous course standards and progressive, sequenced courses; secondary and postsecondary alignment and early postsecondary offerings; industry involvement; labor market demand; and high-quality instruction and experiential learning as necessary for a program to be considered high quality – all of which are reflected across the PAYA principles.

What This Looks Like in Practice

The Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) program showcases the opportunities that become available to students when instructional alignment and programmatic articulation are coordinated between CTE and youth apprenticeships. TRACK is a statewide program, overseen by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet and Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, that supports secondary students participating in registered youth apprenticeships. Employers and educators work together through TRACK to create youth pre-apprenticeships that match registered apprenticeships, as well as select a four-course CTE sequence and a coordinated industry certification.

TRACK first launched with a manufacturing pilot in thirteen high schools during the 2013 – 2014 school year. Since then the program has been scaled to include other schools and additional skilled trades. The program utilizes Kentucky’s existing CTE infrastructure to create a pipeline for students that begins in high school and culminates in an industry-recognized credential, paid work experience and, in many cases, advanced standing within a full Registered Apprenticeship.

Another example is the Apprenticeship Maryland Program (AMP), created as a new CTE program of study through a partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education and Department of Labor and Licensing Regulation. AMP students are able to participate in paid work based learning, enroll in applicable academic courses and spend time with a mentor from a relevant industry. One of the intentions of AMP is for students to understand the direct connection between their educational experience and the state’s workforce demands. Participants benefit from the chance to “earn and learn” with local businesses, while also getting credit toward high school graduation and earning a credential- underscoring the importance of combining academics and workforce skills.

Over the past two years, AMP was rolled out on a trial basis in two county public school systems. These pilot programs were so successful that AMP is now scaled in additional districts across the state. To create strong AMP sites, the state works with local businesses in addition to the local school system in order to provide students with a directly applicable learning experience.

For more examples of best practices, as well as common challenges, in linking CTE and apprenticeships, check out a report from Advance CTE in partnership with JFF, Vivayic and RTI International on Opportunities for Connecting Secondary CTE Students and Apprenticeships. This report was developed through a contract with the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, at the U.S. Department of Education.

Meredith Hills, Policy Associate

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Happy National Apprenticeship Week!

Friday, November 16th, 2018

TWEET OF THE WEEK: 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK

2018 Election Update: U.S. House of Representatives Flips to Democratic Majority, and Republicans Retain Senate Majority

Career readiness was a pillar for many candidates’ education platforms in the 2018 midterm election. A number of changes in leadership are on the horizon as the U.S. House of Representatives Flips to Democratic Majority. Two of the four Senate Career Technical Education Caucus Co-Chairs, Sen. Kaine (D-VA) and Sen. Baldwin (D-WI), were up for reelection and both won their races. In Saginaw County, Michigan voters approved a new tax to invest in Career Technical Education (CTE). Read our blog to learn more.

To make sure you get the latest news and resources about federal policy that affects CTE, sign up for our Legislative Updates!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Are you curious about what a registered apprenticeship entails? Learn the basics with these quick animation videos. In less than five minutes viewers will understand what a registered apprenticeship is,   an understanding of employers expectations and the benefits of completing an apprenticeship program. Employers will come away with an understanding of the benefits of investing in creating a program to meet their talent needs.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Definition and Principles for Exampanding Quality Apprenticeship in the U.S.

The Apprenticeship Forward Collaborative is a network of national organizations committed to expanding American apprenticeship through research, public engagement and on-the-ground innovation. The Collaborative released a new resource, Definition and Principles for Expanding Quality Apprenticeship in the U.S. This new resource includes a  definition for quality apprenticeship and a set of shared principles to guide future expansion efforts by the administration and Congress.  Learn more here.

Nicole Howard, Communications Associate

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This Week in CTE

Friday, September 21st, 2018

TWEET OF THE WEEK

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK

Senate Votes 93-7 to Advance FY19 Appropriations Bill

On September 18, the Senate voted 93-7 to approve the FY 19 Appropriations Bill, as well as a continuing resolution that would run through December 7 to extend current funding levels for other government agencies without final appropriations bills in place by October 1. The bill heads to House for a vote next week and if passed, will go to the President for his signature. Read our blog to learn more.

To make sure you get the latest news and resources about federal policy that affects Career Technical Education (CTE), sign up for our Legislative Updates!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Why Does Idaho Power Invest in Registered Apprenticeship

The Idaho Power registered apprenticeship program employees have a higher retention rate than their overall workforce. This video, developed by Idaho Career & Technical Education,  provides an overview of the elements of an apprenticeship program, the benefits for the employer and the learner. Watch this video to learn more.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Report: Building Better Degrees Using Industry Certifications

CTE programs of study provide learners with a variety of opportunities including earning industry-recognized credentials and participating in meaningful work-based learning experiences. Certifications are a way to demonstrate to an employer that the learner has accomplished a level of understanding and skill. In a recent report, Building Better Degrees Using Industry Certifications, New America conducted research as a follow-up to a 2016 national survey of institutions. This report is a deep dive into how certifications are being included in degree programs. It explores the challenges and successes, and recommendations based on their findings. They report that adults with a degree and at least one industry certification earn nearly 40 percent more than those with the same degree but no certification.

Learn more about this report here.

Nicole Howard, Communications Associate 

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New Resource: Connecting CTE Students & Apprenticeship Programs

Wednesday, June 21st, 2017

Last week was certainly a big one for apprenticeships! In the midst of White House announcement, U.S. Department of Labor memo and the introduction of legislation in the Senate was the release of a new report form Advance CTE – Opportunities for Connecting Secondary Career and Technical Education Students and Apprenticeship Programs.

This new report was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education and prepared by Advance CTE with support from Jobs for the Future, Vivayic and RTI International to help state and local leaders begin to understand the ways in which they could expand access to apprenticeships for high school students, and bring the CTE and apprenticeship systems into better alignment.

At the center of this paper are eight case studies of aligned CTE-apprenticeship programs, which Advance CTE and its partners visited last year to see how they were providing opportunities for high school students to engage directly in pre-apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships and/or registered apprenticeships.

While the eight sites differ in structure, intensity and the state policy environment, there are common lessons learned that apply to any state and local leader looking to build such programs in their own communities.

For example, when it comes to program design, we found there is no inherently “right” or “wrong” approach to connecting CTE students to apprenticeship programs. The sites’ geographic, socioeconomic, and resource characteristics, and differing administrative or legislative policies, all impacted program structure. That being said, when considering program design, a few takeaways emerged:

Advance CTE & Apprenticeships
From Advance CTE’s perspective, aligning CTE and apprenticeship programs, policies and systems is simply common sense. It comes down to providing more pathways to college and career success for more students and for strengthening our overall talent pipeline in key industries like advanced manufacturing, IT and construction, which leveraging existing structures. But, we still see too many missed opportunities due to largely disconnected systems.

This is why, even as this project winds down, we will continue to support efforts to strengthen apprenticeships, and their connections to CTE at the secondary and postsecondary levels, through partnerships like Apprenticeship Forward and ongoing discussions with OCTAE and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Apprenticeship.

Related Resources
In addition to the report, OCTAE also commissioned supportive resources to help state and local leaders turn this research into action, including two recently-released videos on Expanding Opportunities: Aligning CTE and Apprenticeship and Elements of CTE and Apprenticeship Alignment. Later this summer, OCTAE will be releasing a planning guide, templates and mini-guides to bring all the key partners to the table.

Kate Kreamer, Deputy Executive Director

By Kate Blosveren Kreamer in Advance CTE Resources, Public Policy, Publications, Research, Resources
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In Kentucky and Arkansas, Lawmakers Authorize New ESSA Accountability Plans

Thursday, April 13th, 2017

Education Week last month reported that “as state legislative sessions forge ahead, you’ll start to see states’ Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability plans vetted by lawmakers as the new law requires.” This is partly a result of statutory requirements in the law that mandate consultation with the governor and members of the state legislature. But it is also due to the fact that many state ESSA plans promise changes to assessments, accountability and standards that must be made by the legislature or state board of education.

With the first submission window for ESSA state plans now officially open, implementation of the new federal law has been top of mind for many states. As they finalize their ESSA plans, state policymakers have been working in parallel to implement core strategies within their education systems.

Kentucky Plans to Measure Industry Credential Attainment

In Kentucky, for example, Governor Matt Bevin signed a revised state accountability system into law. While Kentucky has been recognized as a leader in career readiness accountability — the state’s Unbridled Learning system uses a weighted point system that values college and career achievement equally — SB1 applies a fresh coat of paint, aligning the system with ESSA requirements and recalibrating the weighted point system to better incentivize relevant career learning experiences. Namely, the law:

Arkansas Provides Accountability Guidelines for Department of Education

Meanwhile, Arkansas lawmakers passed — and Governor Asa Hutchinson signed — a law authorizing the Department of Education to develop a state accountability system and providing certain guidelines. The law largely mirrors the requirements set forth in ESSA, which requires state to report indicators related to academic performance, growth, graduation rates and English Learner progress. But lawmakers also provided nine suggested indicators for the Department of Education to consider, including one measure of the percent of students earning Advanced Placement credit, concurrent credit, International Baccalaureate credit or industry-recognized credentials.

If the Arkansas Department of Education chooses to pursue this route, it will join several other states that are considering career readiness indicators in their statewide accountability systems. As we shared last week, about half of states planning to submit ESSA plans during the first review window are considering career readiness indicators, including measures of industry credential attainment.

Other CTE-Related Legislation Hitting Governors’ Desks this Session

ESSA-related legislation is inching along in other state houses nationwide. In the meantime, state lawmakers have kept themselves busy, continuing a years-long trend to strengthen and scale relevant career pathways. Though this list is not exhaustive, here is a snapshot of what states have passed so far in the 2017 legislative session:

Austin Estes, Policy Associate

By admin in Legislation, Public Policy
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Exploring Work-Based Learning across the Globe…and throughout Baltimore

Thursday, August 4th, 2016

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in the Strengthening Work-based Learning in Education and Transition to Careers Workshop in Baltimore, Maryland.  This workshop was co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Adult and Technical Education (OCTAE) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Advance CTE, along with other federal agencies, non-profit organizations and philanthropies served on the event’s steering committee.IMG_3585

Over the course of two days, the workshop featured a series of sessions exploring work-based learning (WBL) and apprenticeship systems in a range of countries – from Germany and Switzerland to the U.K. and Denmark – as well as the impact of such programs and policies on the key stakeholders, notably students and employers. Established research on the major components of a WBL systems, such as WestEd’s well-regarded WBL continuum, was shared, along with brand new international analyses on the intersection of apprenticeship participation and youth engagement, basic skills and equity.

The workshop also highlighted local “trailblazing” programs and a session on the state role in supporting WBL, which I had the opportunity to participate along with leaders from the National Governors Association, The Siemens Foundation, Colorado and Tennessee.

image1Probably the most fun part of the event was the afternoon dedicated to visiting WBL in action at programs throughout Baltimore. I had the chance to visit Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 486 and FreshStart-Living Classrooms, two very different programs supporting individuals through rigorous technical instruction and on-the-job training.

This workshop is part of OECD’s research and technical assistance project, entitled “Work-based Learning in Vocational Education and Training,” which is being implemented and funded jointly by Australia, Canada, the European Commission, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We’ll be sure to share the research as it is released!

Kate Blosveren Kreamer, Deputy Executive Director

By Kate Blosveren Kreamer in Research
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