Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the efforts of industry intermediaries and equity partners to expand registered apprenticeship programs in the United States and increase access to registered apprenticeships for women and people of color.
- The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation using interviews with representatives of the industry intermediaries and equity partners.
- The study found that employing industry intermediaries broadened the scope of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships to include occupations outside of construction, while equity partners enhanced the recruitment of a diverse group of apprentices.
- The study uses a single data source, which limits its findings on the operations of industry intermediaries, equity partners, and their outcomes.
- There was no companion impact study.
Intervention Examined
Registered Apprenticeship Programs
Features of the Intervention
- Type of organization: Apprenticeship intermediaries; Non-profit organizations; University
- Location/setting: Nationwide
- Population served and scale: Adults; Over 9,000 apprentices in year one
- Industry focus: Construction; Information Technology; Manufacturing; Accommodation and food services; Administrative support; Healthcare and social assistance; Transportation and warehousing; Utilities
- Intervention activities: Registered apprenticeships; Pre-apprenticeships; Employer outreach; Education
- Organizational partnerships: Employers; Industry associations; Non-profit organizations; Labor organizations; Local workforce boards
- Cost: Less than $1,000 per apprentice
- Fidelity: Not included
In 2016, the U. S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship provided $20.4 million in funding to increase and enhance access to registered apprenticeships. The program was operated by 10 industry intermediaries and 4 equity partners in various states. It targeted adults seeking employment, but the eligibility criteria varied between apprenticeship programs. The intermediaries helped apprentices from all backgrounds, while the equity partners specifically aimed to assist women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and out-of-school youth.
The industry intermediaries consisted of private companies, non-profit groups, industry and labor associations, and a technical college. The equity partners included a historically Black college and three non-profit organizations. These equity partners worked together with the industry intermediaries, along with various employers, industry associations, unions, community organizations, local workforce development boards, Urban League affiliates, colleges and universities, some American Job Centers, and one faith-based organization.
Intermediaries were tasked with creating new occupational frameworks to expand apprenticeships beyond construction and recruit new apprentices. However, one intermediary focused solely on pre-apprenticeship programs in construction. Intermediaries conducted outreach to employers through conferences, meetings, sales calls, and incentive funding to boost participation in apprenticeship programs. They also developed various occupational frameworks by collaborating with subject matter experts and employer representatives, often modifying existing frameworks to suit new occupations or new industries, such as adapting an HVAC apprenticeship for refrigeration technology jobs in the transportation sector.
National equity partners established collaborations with community organizations, technical colleges, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). They engaged with employers and industry associations to promote the advantages of registered apprenticeships and to enhance workplace diversity. Additionally, equity partners helped secure supportive services for disadvantaged apprentices and assisted employers in creating affirmative action hiring plans. Their efforts in employer engagement were supported by the creation of case studies, marketing materials, and technical assistance resources.
Features of the Study
The study team conducted interviews with representatives from intermediaries and equity partners in 2017 and again in 2020. The interviewees included 9 industry intermediaries and 4 equity partners. The authors noted that one intermediary did not reply to interview requests during the study. The study also used secondary sources to provide background information about the intervention. The authors offer limited details on their analytical methods but do reference interviews to support their assertions throughout the study. However, there were limited additional details about the interviewees.
Findings
Intervention activities/services
- The study found that every intermediary, except one, met their yearly target of enrolling 450 apprenticeships, with several intermediaries far surpassing this goal. Notably, one intermediary registered over 10,000 apprentices throughout the intervention.
- All intermediaries developed several new occupational frameworks, with one intermediary developing over a dozen new occupational frameworks for apprentices.
- Among equity partners who were able to track apprentice registration because of their work, almost 2,000 apprentices were registered with 400 different employer sponsors.
Implementation challenges and solutions
- The study identified three challenges reported by intermediaries: delays in both program registration and apprenticeship enrollments, delays in the approval of new occupational frameworks, and the limited applicability of some occupational frameworks beyond their specific industries due to their narrow scope.
- Equity partners reported challenges with tracking the number of people that entered apprenticeship programs due to their efforts.
- Intermediaries serving as sponsors for apprenticeships alleviated the burden on employers, making it easier for them to hire apprentices quickly.
- Developing national occupational frameworks for apprenticeships that spanned multiple industries allowed more employers from different sectors to quickly join apprenticeship programs.
- Equity partners noted that some employers were hesitant or uncomfortable talking about diversity in hiring. However, they effectively engaged employers by highlighting the broader advantages of a diverse workforce and the benefits of apprenticeships for meeting workforce needs, rather than concentrating on the non-discrimination legal requirements mandated by the Office of Apprenticeship, which often caused apprehension.
Cost
- The study found that implementing the program costs less than $1,000 per apprentice when factoring in the grants awarded and the total estimated number of registered apprentices.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The study relied only on interview data which may not capture all relevant information related to the intervention, particularly employer perspectives and apprentice perspectives. Also, the authors do not provide many details about data collection and analysis methods which makes it challenging to determine the strength of evidence behind the conclusions drawn in the research.