TRAINING A MODERN WORKFORCE: APPRENTICESHIPS

GAGNIER FOR CONGRESS ISSUE BRIEF

christinagagnier.com

Training a Modern Workforce: Apprenticeships Introduction: What is an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are structured programs where an apprentice works under the guidance of a mentor at a company or job. The apprentice is able to learn skills and knowledge while on the job while an employer gets a skilled and qualified employee. What makes apprenticeships different from other job training programs is that apprentices receive a paycheck while they are in training, and their paycheck increases as their skills and performance increase. After a set period of time, the apprentice joins the company at an entry-level position. Apprenticeships can be a win-win, with both the employer and the employee benefiting. Some colleges work together with companies to offer apprentices college credit and credential certificates. Apprenticeships are already propelling our economy forward and providing much needed work experience to both the entry-level and re-entry workforce. In 2013, there were 164,000 individuals nationwide that were part of an apprenticeship program. It has been demonstrated that, “over a career, someone who has gone through a registered apprenticeship program earns an estimated $300,000 more in salary and benefits than someone who did not.” Eighty-seven percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs and the average starting salary for apprentice graduates is over $50,000. Apprenticeships are much needed in expanding industries such as healthcare, information technology and advanced manufacturing. With continued and increase support for these programs, apprenticeships can be one way to support sustainable job growth. How Would Apprenticeships Be Good for the District? Apprenticeships can provide an avenue for workers in the Inland Empire to find employment. Unemployment in the area currently stands at approximately twelve percent. Despite high unemployment numbers, companies are still looking for qualified and skilled people to fill their positions. When the labor force is not experienced or skilled enough to meet employers’ needs, regions find themselves with a "skills gap.” Apprenticeships can provide opportunities to fill this gap. Prospective workers will be able to join a company while receiving a paycheck and training while employers will get skilled and qualified workers. By increasing support for apprenticeship programs and providing incentives for businesses, we can help local companies grow and attract new industry to the region to employ our trained workers.

How Can Apprenticeships Be Good for an Employer? Employers in the region have repeatedly expressed that they have challenges hiring qualified workers in critical occupations. Employers have stated that prospective employees lack prior education in a given field or that their training is not adequate. Employers have expressed that they have a need for a more agile and adept workforce, requiring more rapid and responsive workforce training programs. A robust support structure and funding for apprenticeship programs can help employers meet these needs. Apprenticeships enable employers to recruit and develop a highly skilled workforce. Additional benefits of apprenticeships include improvements in productivity, innovation and costs. Apprenticeships increase worker retention and reduce turnover costs. Apprenticeships have been shown to reduce accidents and errors and lower workers' compensation costs. Over ninety percent of sponsors of apprenticeship programs express satisfaction with their programs and would recommend similar programs to other employers. Apprenticeships work for employers when there are tax credits in place to incentivize creating apprenticeship programs, and we ensure that there is access to federal and state grants to make these opportunities a reality. How Are Apprenticeship Programs Funded? Apprenticeship programs are public-private partnerships. A private business will usually sponsor a Registered Apprenticeship, sometimes in partnership with a labor organization. Industry sponsors of apprenticeships are estimated to invest $1 billion per year to design and execute Registered Apprenticeship programs, provide jobs to apprentices, oversee training development and provide on-the-job learning. President Obama announced a $100 million investment called American Apprenticeship grants to increase apprenticeships in growing industries, align apprenticeships to pathways for further learning and career development and to scale up apprenticeship programs that work. Priorities for Apprenticeships

1. Grow the number of apprenticeship programs regionally.

As a representative, Christina Gagnier will be committed to getting more apprenticeship programs established in the district. Christina plans on working with both the federal and state governments to ensure that the Inland Empire is front and center for grant opportunities to fund apprenticeship programs. Christina wants to ensure that as manufacturing and distribution companies move to the region, they have incentive to start these programs.

2. Work with local entities to collaborate and create sustainable programs. Christina Gagnier will work with the local government and employment agencies to see how her office can support and learn how to best implement these programs. Christina wants to ensure that our community colleges have support to provide classroom training as part of apprenticeship programs.

3. Evaluate, learn and implement based off of existing successful models.

There are many examples of successful apprenticeship programs around the state and around the country. We can use these as models to help implement similar programs right here in our district. By learning from other examples, we can improve and innovate on current programs. These programs can be scaled to serve more entry-level workers as well those who have been displaced due to regional shifts in industry within the district.

4. Enable apprenticeships to be a path to sustainable, long-term employment opportunities.

Christina wants to support apprenticeship programs as a way to help lower unemployment. Apprenticeships can be a path to sustainable, long-term careers instead of a reliance on temporary employment or positions that can more easily disappear. The Inland Empire and its workforce needs stable employment opportunities. Apprenticeships can be an important component of meeting the employment demands of the community. Conclusion While federal and state funding has been committed to investment in workforce training, we still have a long way to go in terms of getting America back to work. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), H.R. 803. The bill authorized $58 billion over six years to strengthen education and workforce development programs. The bill will support local programs, such as the America’s Job Center of California, which served 33,642 people in the Inland Empire in the last year. The California Workforce Investment Board recently announced the availability of up to $2.5 million in Workforce Investment Act funds to design, develop and implement projects that accelerate employment and re-employment strategies for California jobseekers. The grants will go to projects that target the long-term unemployed, returning veterans, individuals with disabilities, low-income workers, disconnected youth and ex-offenders. Apprenticeship programs can benefit both employers and employees, while closing the skills gap in our regional economy. The concept of apprenticeships may be old, but renewing America’s commitment to these programs can accelerate our economy, regionally and across the country.

Works Cited Registered Apprenticeship National Results Fiscal Year 2013 (10/01/2012 to 9/30/2013), U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, http://doleta.gov/oa/data_statistics.cfm (Retrieved August 10, 2014). John Ladd, Apprenticeship 101: Earn While You Learn, U.S. Department of Labor http://social.dol.gov/blog/apprenticeship-101-earn-while-you-learn/ (Jan 28, 2014). American Apprenticeship Initiative, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, http://doleta.gov/oa/aag.cfm (Retrieved August 10, 2014). Apprenticeship: Opportunity is Knocking State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, http://www.dir.ca.gov/Apprenticeship/ApprenticeshipIntro.htm (Retrieved August 10, 2014). American Apprenticeships Industry Roundtable, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.doleta.gov/oa/pdf/industry-FS-4.pdf (Retrieved August 10, 2014). Apprenticeship Programs Information Guide, State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, http://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/das/descOfAppr.html (Retrieved August 10, 2014). America’s Job Center of California, http://www.americasjobcenter.ca.gov/ (Retrieved August 10, 2014).