Registered Apprenticeship-College Consortium

• Do you have students who are looking for a way to earn a paycheck and benefits while learning and earning college credits at the same time?
• Do you have students who want to further their educations without going into debt?
• Do you have students who want a long-term, successful career?

If so, talk with them about Registered Apprenticeship!

The National Registered Apprenticeship System allows individuals to work and take home a paycheck - while learning skills and earning industry-recognized certifications. Registered Apprenticeship provides more than 400,000 apprentices across the U.S. with industry-specific education, on-the-job training, nationally recognized certifications, and guaranteed wage increases.

Registered Apprenticeship programs pay individuals from day one, and provide raises as apprentices attain additional skill levels. Apprentices learn their skills through structured, on-the-job training and related classroom instruction. Registered Apprenticeship programs foster a sense of personal independence and self-esteem in apprentices. Upon completion, apprentices receive nationally recognized certifications. Many of the apprenticeship programs partner with local colleges, enabling apprentices to earn college credit, sometimes paid for by the employer. There are more than 250,000 employers involved in the apprenticeship program, including nationally known companies such as CVS/pharmacy and major institutions like the Center for Disease Control (CDC). These companies participate as program sponsors in a public/private partnership with the government to create a highly skilled workforce.

Do you already work with local Registered Apprenticeship programs?

Do you provide related instruction for the programs?

Do you have an articulation agreement with programs to apply the Registered Apprenticeship certificate towards college credit?

For decades, the national Registered Apprenticeship system and the nation's network of community colleges have been at the forefront of providing industry-driven education and training that support business competitiveness and career advancement for workers. And while Registered Apprenticeship and college programs have a long history of partnership, evolving economic and workforce trends offer new opportunities to enhance and deepen those collaborative efforts.

The Secretary of Labor's Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA), which includes members from the employer, labor, and public sectors, has identified the articulation of the Registered Apprenticeship completion certificate for college credit as an important opportunity for apprentices to continue on a career pathway, enhance skill acquisition, and earn an associate's or bachelor's degree. Increasing articulation agreements between Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors and colleges will also create a new pipeline of degree-seekers and enhance the competitiveness of American industry by enlarging the pool of highly-trained workers that possess in-demand skills and competencies.

The ACA, with the support of the Department of Labor's (DOL) Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Jane Oates, and the Department of Education's (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), Brenda Dann-Messier, convened an ad hoc workgroup to increase articulation agreements among post-secondary education institutions and Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors. The workgroup is composed of ACA members, two- and four-year-college leaders, Registered Apprenticeship sponsors, and leadership from the Office of Apprenticeship and OVAE.

The workgroup began consulting in May 2011 with a broad group of colleges and Registered Apprenticeship sponsors to address the issue, explore possible organizational structures, develop a framework and put forth a proposal. Goals included (1) increased graduation rates, (2) increased number of people who earn a credential, (3) career paths leading to good jobs, (4) portability, (5) accessibility, and (6) sustainability. At the September 2011 meeting of the ACA, a proposal was adopted unanimously to form the national Registered Apprenticeship-College Consortium (RACC) based on the successful Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium. RACC members agree to accept the Registered Apprenticeship completion certificate at the value assigned by a recognized third party evaluator for college credit, for purposes of facilitating the transfer of credit between consortium member colleges. The ACA also adopted the RACC Articulation Framework which outlines the goals of the consortium, the principles that guide the effort, conditions of membership, and criteria.

Click here to read the RACC Articulation Framework

To facilitate consortium expansion, a web database is under development to list consortium members, consortium membership information, existing articulation agreements, and related resources for interested college and Registered Apprenticeship stakeholders. The database will initially be housed on the DOL Office of Apprenticeship's Community of Practice. Information will be located at https://21stcenturyapprenticeship.workforce3one.org and click on "Pathways to Success." The map currently lists the articulation agreements with 1,660 colleges, Registered Apprenticeship programs (as well as information on pre-apprenticeship programs nationwide) but will be expanded and modified to support this effort.

Further Information

To learn more about the Registered Apprenticeship-College Consortium, or to join, please contact OA.Administrator@dol.gov.