Project Details

Agency Name: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Apprenticeship (OA)

Agency Type: Federal

Services: Technical Assistance, Strategic Communications

Client Goals

This USDOL OA Registered Apprenticeship Center of Excellence (RA COE) will provide technical assistance on a national scope to align apprenticeship with the educational and workforce system.
Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) sponsors implementing RAPs and will also support state and local workforce development boards, American Job Center programs and operators, governors and other essential stakeholders that drive and inform economic and workforce development policies and programs.
The following are the main goals of the Center: (1) support the increase in the use of registered apprenticeship as a key workforce development program, including efforts to create pipelines (such as pre-apprenticeship and other career pathways) that can increase the diversity and inclusion of apprentices in RAPs; (2) expand on technical assistance activities and services that OA and SAAs (State Apprenticeship Agencies) currently provide to the registered apprenticeship system, to support the increase of the use of the RAP model in WIOA or workforce programs that can lead to RAP, including pre- apprenticeships and other career pathways; (3) expand on the Department’s national efforts and marketing campaign for registered apprenticeship, improving understanding about registered apprenticeship in the workforce system (e.g., American Job Centers, Business Service Representatives, Workforce Development Boards, and YouthBuild), leading to increased workforce system participation in RAPs; (4) support an integrated service delivery approach and the development of resources to increase leveraging of WIOA funding and other federal funding across workforce programs (e.g. co-enrollment); (5) increase employer, education and training providers, intermediaries, and workforce systems partnership building and connectivity across workforce programs; (6) improve alignment between state education, workforce system, and registered apprenticeship system, with the ultimate goal of informing new policies and/or programs to support RAP integration and alignment; (7) coordinate with the Department, OA, SAAs, and DOL-funded investments that support Registered Apprenticeship expansion to leverage, align and build on existing efforts to maximize the use of resources and minimize the duplication of efforts. Centers must ensure they directly engage with OA and SAAs, where appropriate, to support these efforts; and (8) improve performance outcomes for RAPs by doubling the current Statewide WOIA support/participation for RAPS over the project period of performance.

Safal Approach

In July 2021, Safal Partners was awarded a $7 million, four-year grant, to lead the US Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence for Strategic Partnerships and System Alignment. The Center will develop and deliver technical assistance on a national level, identify and disseminate proven local innovation, and formulate policy recommendations that strengthen the apprenticeship alignment gap between the education and workforce system. The Center will focus on establishing, building, and sustaining partnerships with businesses, students and jobseekers to accelerate Registered Apprenticeship Program adoption. Safal will begin initial work with a strategic focus on five states, California, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas, and will expand to a minimum of five additional states over the course of the four years.

To learn more about the center visit the website here: https://dolcoe.safalapps.com