This study was conducted by staff from Abt Global, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR implementation study guidelines.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the implementation of the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) which provides grants to expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs. This profile focuses on the program in Philadelphia.
- The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation using data obtained through interviews, a survey, and programmatic data obtained from DOL's Apprenticeship Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) system.
- The study found that Philadelphia Works achieved success with partners and existing employers committed to apprenticeships and Opportunity Youth (those aged 18-24 not working and not in school). Philadelphia Works registered or expanded 10 apprenticeship programs using AAI grant funds across various sectors. Of these programs, most were time-based with smaller proportions of competency-based. At the time of the study, Philadelphia Works registered 96 apprentices (achieving 31% of their goal) and served 260 pre-apprentices (exceeding their goal).
- A strength of the study is the detailed information about program operations, particularly around employer engagement activities. Additionally, spotlights highlight different apprenticeships including District 1199C's direct support professional group apprenticeship and Urban Technology's information technology generalist pre-apprenticeship program. However, one limitation is that the study authors do not provide details about their data collection methods.
- There was no companion impact study.
Intervention Examined
Philadelphia Works
Features of the Intervention
- Type of organization: Sub-state government agency
- Location: Multi-site in Pennsylvania
- Population served and scale: Opportunity youth; Women; Racial/ethnic minorities; Individuals with disabilities; Veterans; Non-college aged adults; 96 apprentices and 260 pre-apprentices
- Industry focus: Information; Healthcare and social assistance
- Intervention activities: On-the-job learning (OJL); Related technical instruction (RTI); Supportive services.
- Organizational partnerships: Employers; Education; Non-profits
- Cost: Not included
- Fidelity: Not included
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) provided $175 million in grants to expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) in areas that did not have many registered apprentices and for populations underrepresented in RAPs (e.g., women, Veterans, racial or ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, non-college aged adults). Beginning in 2015, DOL awarded five-year AAI grants to 46 grantees nationwide.
Philadelphia Works, a nonprofit workforce development board serving the city of Philadelphia, received a $2,999,722 AAI grant. Philadelphia Works had nine subgrantees, including District 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund (a local group sponsor of healthcare apprenticeship programs); JEVS Human Services (a nonprofit workforce intermediary); and Communities in Schools–Philadelphia/Urban Technology Project (a school-based sponsor of information technology (IT) apprentices). The subgrantees also subcontracted work to other subgrantees and partners. Philadelphia Works expanded RAPs in healthcare and IT. AAI grant funds were used for staff salaries at Philadelphia Works, subgrantee and partner payments for related technical instruction (RTI), program development, supportive services, equipment, and mentor stipends. RTI payments ranged from $715 per apprentice to $2,000 per apprentice, while mentor stipends were $1,200 for all subgrantees and other partners.
Philadelphia Works targeted individuals aged 18-24 who were not enrolled in education and were not working (referred to as Opportunity Youth). Recruitment was mostly conducted by organizations serving the target age youth and included Philadelphia Youth Network, Kensington Career and Technical High School, AmeriCorps, and JobWorks. Staff at these partners recruited through social media, radio, and word of mouth.
Features of the Study
Philadelphia Works was one of ten grantees selected to participate in the implementation study. Selection criteria included participation in a recruitment sub study, grantee institution type (i.e., state agency, sub-state agency, college, or sector-based organization), progress toward target enrollees, and prior history with RAPs.
In the apprenticeship program, 52% of the participants were men. Among them, 93% were under 25 years old and 7% were between 25 and 44. The racial breakdown included 16% Hispanic (of any race), 15% White, and 62% Black. Additionally, 1% were Veterans and there were no participants with disabilities. In the pre-apprenticeship program, 52% of the participants were women, 98% were under 25 years old and 2% were between 25 and 44. The racial breakdown included 21% Hispanic (of any race), 8% White, and 6% Black. Also, 5% were people with disabilities and no participants were Veterans.
Interviews were conducted in person during site visits in Spring 2019 and over the phone in Fall 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. A survey was conducted with a grantee representative between June and July 2019. Programmatic data were obtained from DOL's Apprenticeship Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) system. The study authors do not include information about the number of interviews conducted or their analytic methods.
Findings
Intervention Activities/Services
- The study found that Philadelphia Works collaborated with partners to improve the quality of apprenticeships offered in healthcare and tailor apprenticeships in IT for Opportunity Youth. Philadelphia Works worked with multiple RTI providers including JobWorks and CVS Health (both private), Bucks County Community College, Community College of Philadelphia, and Jefferson University.
- Employer engagement played a key role in the program. Staff from various levels, including Philadelphia Works, their subgrantees, and the subgrantees of those subgrantees, connected with familiar businesses and established relationships with new businesses.
- Philadelphia Works registered or expanded 10 apprenticeship programs using AAI grant funds in IT, healthcare, and other occupations (most were behavioral health technicians, which were not classified as healthcare occupations). Most (67%) were time-based and 33% were competency-based.
- At the time of the study, Philadelphia Works registered 96 apprentices (31% of their 310 goal) and served 260 pre-apprentices (137% of their 190 goal). Pre-apprentices were served through five programs connected to a RAP, some of which were operating prior to the AAI grant.
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
- The study found that employers and sponsors benefited from Philadelphia Works' ability to tailor incentives to subgrantees and other partners; specifically, some needed funds to design or tailor programs while others needed funds for RTI costs.
- The program had difficulty bringing in employers they had not worked with before. Even when these new businesses showed interest, they often did not have positions that were right for apprentices. Additionally, the UTP and AmeriCorps partnership struggled to recruit Opportunity Youth since they were required to enroll youth recommended by the Philadelphia school system. Many Opportunity Youth had multiple challenges that made recruitment and retainment challenging; this was particularly the case for participants that needed childcare assistance, which was not provided.
- Philadelphia Works aimed to continue the program using WIOA, TANF, and state apprenticeship grants, focusing on keeping the partnerships that were built and improved through the grant. They joined the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) National Network in 2019. Pre-apprenticeship programs were successful in expanding the pool of individuals served through the program.
- The program adapted to COVID-19 challenges by hiring a staff person dedicated to providing support during the pandemic. Apprentices struggled with transportation to the site and had concerns about their safety on-site. Some programs, like direct service and pharmacy technicians, adapted and continued and others—specifically the IT apprenticeship—grew given increased demand.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The study authors provide details about the program operations, particularly around employer engagement activities. Additionally, spotlights highlight different apprenticeships including District 1199C's direct support professional group apprenticeship and Urban Technology's IT generalist pre-apprenticeship program. However, little information was provided about data collection methods and analyses.