Registered Apprenticeship took center-stage on CNN’s ongoing “Where the Jobs Are” series last week.  This installment of the series, which highlights the experiences of employers and workers during the nation’s economic recovery, focused on a South Carolina-based Bosch Rexroth manufacturing program.  Through the program, apprentices work by night and attend Greenville Technical College (Greenville, SC) by day to gain advanced manufacturing skills.  The piece details the career opportunities Registered Apprenticeship provides and the benefits employers’ reap from training their own for the skills they demand.  The CNN segment also shows the changing face of today’s manufacturing worker, with companies now recruiting highly-skilled employees with advanced aptitude in math, communications and machining. 
 
Registered Apprenticeship’s ‘Earn While You Learn’ model is on full display as CNN takes a ‘day-in-the-life’ look at the experiences of a restaurant owner turned machinist who is working toward completion of his program.  Please post a comment on this great video as we'd love to hear your reactions and ideas on how to generate more coverage of your Registered Apprenticeship program.
 
Watch the Video Here. 

Bloomberg's Olivia Sterns reports on the increase in applications to apprenticeship programs in the U.K. amid a slow jobs market and after the government capped the number of university places available.  Click here to view video.

Do Your Program’s Instructors Measure-Up?

In my opinion, one of the most important changes to the updated 29CFR29 standards that came about near the end of 2008, is the advent of insisting RAPs ensure instructor quality!!! To this end, most of us know that a good instructor can make a world of difference…especially for those of us who were not cut-out for anything remotely resembling academic education. Accordingly, there is now an effort by a national organization to establish criteria for certified career and technical education (CTE) educators. The Association for Skilled and Technical Sciences (ASTS) recently launched a nationwide campaign to promote the professionalism of teachers and administrators who dedicate their lives to CTE. Their goal is to have their credential recognized within the next five years not unlike the CPA designation is to an accountant. Please take the time to review the info in the link provided below. And, then ask yourself: Do your program’s instructors measure-up?

 

www.umsl.edu/rcew/ccte

 

 

The State of Georgia is an OA state employing the State Director.  Currently there are three unfilled ATR positions; two vacancies in Atlanta and one vacancy in Savannah, GA.  The State of Georgia has 202 registered apprenticeship programs with 5,010 apprentices registered.  Last fiscal year (2009), Georgia staff developed and registered eight new apprenticeship programs and registered 1,731 new apprentices.

 

Currently, Georgia is at a 10.0% Unemployment rate which is .5% higher than the national average.  Due to the economy, many manufacturing and new construction jobs have been lost, however, we are optimistic that Eastern Georgia, as part of the “Nuclear Corridor” will be needing somewhere between 9,000 – 12,000 jobs to expand the Plant Votgle Electric Generating Plant, the builds of the Mox Fuel Fabrication Facility, the Plant Washington coal-fuel powered plant, and the Waycross, GA bio-energy pellet plant among other smaller projects.

 

Georgia State Director Anita Reyes participated in a meeting with staffers from the Georgia Department of Labor, Assistant Commissioner for Career Development Services office, the Executive Director of East Central Georgia Energy Consortium and Shaw Group to discuss the East Central Georgia Energy Consortium’s (ECGEC) pre-apprenticeship program.  Discussion was held as to how the ECGEC’s pre-apprenticeship program will assist in getting graduates of the program connected with registered apprenticeship programs.

 

State Director Reyes has developed a relationship with the Georgia Energy and Industrial Construction Consortium (GEICC) and through that Consortium, Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue has signed a proclamation designating the third week of October as “Careers in Energy Week”.  This proclamation recognizes the significant impact that Careers in Energy has on the economy of Georgia and through strategic partnerships, GEICC strives to promote a unified and results oriented effort to ensure people find new and rewarding careers in energy.

 

Kia’s announcement to build a factory to make Kia's Sorento sport utility vehicle, has hopes to hire 2,500 employees. Kia supply companies may eventually employ 3,000 additional workers.

 

The State of Georgia is slowly moving toward registering apprenticeship programs in the healthcare field having registered the Georgia Health Care Association which represents long term healthcare facilities in Georgia.  Also, the Rapid Enhanced Active Development apprenticeship program was registered this year to train in the medical assistance and biller/coder occupations.

 

Georgia State Director Reyes met with representatives of Goodwill Industries of North Georgia to promote registered apprenticeship.  Goodwill of North Georgia has received both Federal Highway On-The-Job Training Services Project funding (Pre-Apprenticeship Training for Women in Highway Construction) and a Pathways out of Poverty Grant.  SD Reyes toured the training facility and observed the Women in Construction hands-on class.  SD Reyes and Goodwill of North Georgia will continue to meet to develop registered apprenticeship programs in green occupations (solar panel assembly, solar panel installation and weatherization), janitorial/floor work and retail.  We will also partner to connect the Women in Construction pre-apprenticeship program to registered apprenticeship programs.

 

Georgia State Director Reyes gave a presentation on Registered Apprenticeship and Innovative Training Opportunities at the Region 3 Trade and Dislocated Worker Roundtable in Atlanta GA.  SD Reyes pointed out that Registered Apprenticeship is now recognized in the Trade Adjustment Act and discussed methods in which Registered Apprenticeship could improve workforce development’s Adult and Youth performance measurements.  Approximately 40 TAA/TRA, Rapid Response and IT Coordinators; Governor’s Office of Workforce Development representatives, Employment and Training Consultants, Workforce Investment Managers came from the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.  Also in attendance were representatives from the U. S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration from both the National Office and the Atlanta Regional Office.

 

Respectfully Submitted By,

Anita Reyes

State Director

reyes.anita@dol.gov

U. S. Department of Labor

Office of Apprenticeship

Atlanta GA 30303

John M. Griffin

jgriffbat@aol.com

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Recruiting Wounded Warriors into Shipyards - Meaningful Career Opportunities
by Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP) on Friday, August 13, 2010.

NAVSEA's Wounded Warrior Program seeks to arm experienced Warriors with the education and training to expand their workforce. NAVSEA offers a stable job with the top health, educational and retirement benefits of the federal government.

Our challenge is to harness the power of our warriors," said NAVSEA Commander Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy. "We have many organizations represented here and many talented people. But we need more than talent - we need to create a system that allows each and every warrior access to our programs and offer them the opportunity to choose to continue to pursue a career of service."?

NAVSEA  needs engineers, scientists, technicians and managers to join their team of more than 58,000 at 38 activities located around the country and overseas. NAVSEA offers Wounded Warriors internships, apprenticeships, employment and educational counseling.

Internships
Internships offer the training and education to enable Wounded Warriors to excel in entry-level placements and to move up quickly to positions of management. Opportunities are available throughout the country.

Apprenticeships
NAVSEA’s four shipyards offer four-year apprenticeships with eligibility at all levels of education and work experience. These programs offer opportunities in Norfolk, Va., Portsmouth, Maine, Bremerton, Wash., and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Employment
Temporary and permanent employment opportunities are available at NAVSEA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and at NAVSEA activities throughout the country

Education Counseling
Not sure where you fit it? NAVSEA Wounded Warrior Program coordinators offer skill assessment and career guidance to help navigate educational opportunities offered through NAVSEA, the Veteran’s Administration and the Department of Labor.

Visit NAVSEA Wounded Warrior Program to learn more about the program or call (202) 781-5272