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Florida Construction Workforce Taskforce:
The Apprenticeship Overview
Victoria Zoloedova, Andriel E. Fenner, James Sullivan, Charles J. Kibert
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT 2
Table of Contents
The M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management ....................................................3
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................4
TOPIC 1: Apprenticeship overview .........................................................................................6
The apprenticeship system framework: US vs. Florida ................................................................6
How DOE became responsible for apprenticeships programs in Florida? ....................................9
Overlook of the number of apprenticeships over the past ten years ............................................ 10
The demographics of apprentices over the past 6 years .............................................................. 11
The graduation rates annually over the past years ...................................................................... 13
TOPIC 2: The Florida Model ................................................................................................ 13
The Florida apprenticeship system ............................................................................................ 13
The organizational chart of DOE’s apprenticeship department .................................................. 15
The State apprenticeship funding............................................................................................... 17
The scope of work of the apprenticeship department ................................................................. 17
The Department’s greatest needs and assets............................................................................... 19
TOPIC 3: The Business model ................................................................................................ 20
The formal plan for apprenticeships in Florida: goals, objectives, strategies, and metrics .......... 20
The money flow for apprenticeship programs ............................................................................ 21
The expenditures by program across the state ............................................................................ 23
Tracking individual trainees ...................................................................................................... 23
TOPIC 4: Future Plans ........................................................................................................... 25
Outreach and marketing plan for the apprenticeship programs: relations with local workforce
boards and companies ............................................................................................................... 25
Who works with businesses to get workers hired and into apprenticeships? ............................... 29
References: .............................................................................................................................. 30
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT 3
Sponsored by a grant from the
“Department of Business and Professional
Regulation” and “Building a Safer Florida, Inc.” to the
M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction
Management at the University of Florida
The M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management
The M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida
combines the skills, diverse experiences, and talents of its faculty with an innovative educational
curriculum to educate future construction professionals. Housed in the College of Design,
Construction and Planning, the Rinker School is dedicated to construction science and
management and is committed to excellence in education and research. Established in 1935, it is
the oldest school of construction in the U.S. and the first program to receive accreditation from
the American Council for Construction Education (1975). Twenty faculty members teach and
guide the School’s 500 undergraduate and 120 graduate students. The School’s new building,
Rinker Hall, is the 26th building to have been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green
Building Council. The Rinker School has substantial experience with crafts training and has had
extensive collaboration with the National Center for Construction Education and Research
(NCCER), the premier crafts training education organization, for the past 18 years. Most recently
the Rinker School developed a crafts training program, Training for Manufactured Construction
(TRAMCON), that provides students with hybrid manufacturing/construction credentials. These
credentials also provide training across multiple crafts including carpentry, plumbing, electrical,
and HVAC using NCCER training modules.
Mission Statement
The mission of the M. E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management is to be the center
of excellence for construction. The Rinker School will pursue this by:
✓ Promoting professional and ethical behavior in education and practice.
✓ Advancing the industry by creating new knowledge through research and scholarly
activities.
✓ Educating individuals in principles, knowledge and skills required to be successful in
their professional careers.
✓ Providing service and transferring knowledge to the citizens of Florida, the
construction industry, professional societies, the nation, and the world.
The Rinker School will achieve this mission by fostering a core culture of value and quality.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT 4
Executive Summary
The Rinker School of Construction
Management at the University of Florida has
been tasked with evaluating workforce
training availability in Florida. This study
will support the evaluation of workforce
development programs in the state and allow
for better understanding of the types and
training offered as well as where they are
offered and how they are sponsored.
Workforce shortages in the state are
historically cyclical and follow significant
lulls in construction volume over time. Most
recently, there was a significant downfall in
construction volume in Florida starting in
2007 (see Figure 1 below), with the recovery
beginning in 2012. The significance of this
most recent economic cycle to the state is that
the downturn started earlier in Florida and
lasted longer than the national average.
Construction employment follows
general housing and building trends as well.
The difficulty for the recovering market is
replacing the trained workforce that left the
state or the industry during the economic
downturn. High demand for trained workers
increases pressure on construction firms to
employ unqualified workers who are trained
through an informal on-the-job training
(OJT) process, resulting in initial quality,
productivity, and safety issues compared to a
trained worker. National construction
employment demands are reflected in Figure
2 below.
Figure 1 - Housing starts from 2005 through 2014
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT 5
Figure 2 - Department of Labor Statistics (Job openings in 1000’s)
Construction workforce training
appears in various formats, including high
school magnet programs, vocational schools,
and apprenticeships. The purpose of this
report is to provide a snapshot of the
availability of training relative to the
increased demand and the lack of interested
applicants. Training programs themselves
are not adequate for filling the workforce
void. Current studies indicate that 50% of
the construction workforce is 45 years or
older. An aging workforce, increasing in
construction volume and decreasing interest
in construction employment is creating the
perfect storm for severe labor shortages.
These labor shortages have the potential to
limit the growth of the construction industry,
increase construction costs, and limit the
types of construction trades available to
service market needs. These factors are the
reasons that a Workforce Task Force and
research are required.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
6
TOPIC 1:
Apprenticeship overview
The apprenticeship system
framework: US vs. Florida
The Department of Labor Office of
Apprenticeship oversees the national
apprenticeship system. Registered
Apprenticeship programs should comply
with the federal rules and legislations that
govern content, quality, length of training,
safety, minimum wage and equal
employment protection. Some states have
assumed the authority to control and monitor
apprenticeship programs through a specific
department. Those states, for federal
purposes, are identified as “State
Apprenticeship Agency” or SAA (Figure 1).
The field staff or state personnel control
employer outreach, program registration, and
the enforcement of activities. All states are
encouraged to develop and increase
participation in apprenticeship programs,
even if the program is controlled by the
federal department. The only difference is
that the SAA has more flexibility to set and
enforce their own standards for
apprenticeship programs and even to create
occupational fields that are not yet vetted by
the federal government.
Figure 1 - U.S. apprenticeship programs carried out by Federal and State Agencies.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Office Employment and Training Administration
Figure 2 and
Table 1 show that most of registered
apprenticeship programs in the SAA are
associated with the State Department of
Workforce and Economic Opportunity. The
State of Florida is the only state where RA
programs are controlled by the Department of
Education. The Florida Department of
Education, Division of Career and Adult
Education is authorized to implement and
oversee apprenticeship programs for state
and local purposes. The Division is
responsible for administering both Career
Technical Education (CTE) and Registered
Apprenticeship (RA) programs, which are
operated separately. Florida legislative
statute calls for local district school boards,
community college district boards of trustees,
and RA sponsors to work together to develop
youth pre-apprenticeship programs that
include related career instruction and general
education courses (U.S. Department of
Education).
Figure 2 - State Departments controlling Registered Apprenticeships in U.S.
Florida's State Apprenticeship
Advisory Council represents the
apprenticeship community, advising the
Department on matters relating to registered
apprenticeship programs. The Office of
Apprenticeships works closely with other
organizations, such as the CareerSource.
CareerSource Florida is collaborating with
the Florida Apprenticeship Advisory
Council, convened through the Florida
Department of Education to identify
opportunities to promote registered
Department of Labor,
23
Department of Economic
Opportunity , 4
Department of Education, 1
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
8
apprenticeship and to explore educational
opportunities for local boards to engage the
state apprenticeship office and their local
representatives. Guidance is provided
to Local Workforce Development Boards
(LWDBs) on Apprenticeship resources and
effective integration with Adult and
Dislocated Worker Programs (CareerSource
Florida).
Table 1 - Table showing the State department responsible for controlling Registered
Apprenticeship.
State Department
Arizona Arizona Department of Economic Security
Connecticut Connecticut Labor Department
Delaware Division of Professional Regulation
District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Florida Florida Department of Education
Guam Department of Labor
Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
Kansas Kansas Department of Commerce
Kentucky Kentucky Department of Labor
Louisiana Louisiana Workforce Commission
Maine Maine Department of Labor
Maryland Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development
Minnesota Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Montana Montana Department of Labor & Industries
Nevada State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry
New Mexico New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
New York New York State Department of Labor
North Carolina Department of Commerce
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Oregon Oregon State Bureau of Labor and Industries
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Puerto Rico Department of Labor & Human Resources
Rhode Island RI Department of Labor and Training
Virginia Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Labor
Washington Department of Labor & Industries
Wisconsin State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
How DOE became responsible for
apprenticeships programs in
Florida?
Before 2002, apprenticeship programs
were controlled by the Florida Department of
Labor and Employment Security. This
department was eliminated on June 30th,
2002 and its responsibilities and functions
were transferred to other agencies. The
redistribution of functions are as follows:
Table 2 - Redistribution of functions associated with the Florida Department of Labor.
Source: Florida Administrative Code and Florida Administrative Register
Previous
Division
code
Divisions Chapters Transferred to
38 Departmental Terminated
38A Office of the Secretary Terminated
38B Division of
Unemployment
Compensation
Terminated
38C Division of Labor Terminated
38D Public Employees
Relations Commission
60CC – Department of Management
Services – Public Employees
Relations Commission
38E Unemployment Appeals
Commission
Terminated
38F Division of Workers'
Compensation
69L – Department of Financial
Services – Division of Worker’s
Compensation
38G Division of Employment
and Training
Terminated
38H Division of Jobs and
Benefits
38H-16:
Apprenticeship
Programs
38H-20: State
Apprenticeship
Council
6A – Department of Education –
State Board of Education
Other responsibilities transferred to
the 61 - Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
38I Division of Safety Repealed
38J Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation
Repealed
38K Division of Blind
Services
38K-1: Blind
Services
6A – Department of Education –
State Board of Education
Overlook of the number of
apprenticeships over the past ten
years
According to the U.S. Department of
Labor, the number of apprentices nationwide
is exponentially increasing after 2010. In
only 5 years, the number of new entrants
almost doubled, pushed mainly by
construction-related occupations. Non-union
employers represent half of the
apprenticeship sponsors, while union-based
employers represent the other half.
Conversely, construction-related
apprenticeship programs sponsored jointly
by unions and companies have shown higher
graduation rates than programs sponsored
solely by private employers. The major
reason for this fact is that the most employer-
sponsored apprenticeships have been
providing less generous wages and benefits
than union apprenticeships, making those
students sponsored by private sponsors drop
out of the program.
Figure 3 - Apprenticeship programs in the State of Florida.
Source: US Department of Labor – Employment and training administration
In the State of Florida, most apprentices
are being trained in traditional construction
programs such as electricity, plumbing,
pipefitting, and heating and air conditioning
installation and repair (Sullivan et al. 2017).
Figure 3 illustrates the performance of
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Registered Apprentices in Florida
Active Apprentices New apprentices Completers Active Programs
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
11
apprenticeship programs in the State of
Florida from 2009 to 2016. Overall, there has
been an increase in active apprentices even
with a reduction of active apprenticeship
programs, showing an increase in popularity
in some programs. Overall, there was an
increase in the number of new apprentices.
The demographics of apprentices
over the past 6 years
The construction industry is one of the
least diverse industries. The 2015
demographic data from the construction
industry shows that male workers represent
around 89% of the total workforce. On
average, male workers in the construction
sector earn 1.13 times more than female
workers. The wage difference is also
significant among different races and
ethnicities. These differences in the
construction sector are also replicated in the
registered apprenticeship programs. Figure 5
shows the gender distribution of
apprenticeship programs in the State of
Florida. As most of the programs in the state
are construction related, the figures represent
the gender distribution in construction
programs with certain degrees of confidence.
Figure 6 also shows the race/ethnicity
distribution of registered apprenticeships in
Florida. White-Americans represent over
than 50% of the total students, while the share
of African-Americans and Hispanics is
among 20-25% each. Other races rarely
achieve 1% share.
Figure 4 - Wage by gender in the most common construction jobs.
Source: Data USA
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
12
Figure 5 - Gender distribution in Apprenticeship programs in Florida.
Source: Florida Department of Education
Figure 6- Race/Ethnicity distribution of Apprenticeship programs in Florida.
Source: Florida Department of Education
14.10%17.50% 17.80% 15.80%
13.30% 11%
85.90%82.50% 82.20% 84.20%
86.70% 89%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
100.00%
2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016
Female Male
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016
African-American American Indian Asian Hispanic
Multi-racial Pacific- Islander White
The graduation rates annually over
the past years
Data from retention rates and job
placements are not often publicized. Data
from those sources would be extremely
important to understand the system’s
problems and to help develop
recommendations. According to The Aspen
Institute, most apprentices in the
construction-related programs dropped their
studies within one year. Undoubtedly, those
high numbers are also a reflection of the
economic downturn, but there are also other
factors to consider. One-third of apprentices
identified personal issues and performance
problems as the major reasons for
cancellation. In this aspect, academic
readiness is more likely to be the major
barrier for apprentices who did not complete
high school.
TOPIC 2:
The Florida Model
The Florida apprenticeship system
The apprenticeship system in the United
States is a method for training the labor
workforce. This system is governed by the
U.S. Department of Labor. Companies
register their programs through the Office of
Apprenticeship. Employers are responsible
for the major share of student’s costs and
participate in developing training courses.
The state and federal authorities play
advising role and they develop necessary
policies while enforcing the compliance of
standards.
Registered apprenticeship programs
provide the employers with an opportunity to
develop the industry standards needed to
increase the quality and productivity of the
workforce. Apprenticeship students who
successfully completed courses are accepted
by the industry as journey workers. For
employers who are interested in developing
and enhance the quality of their workforce,
apprenticeship programs are the best option.
Such programs assist in presenting on-the-job
training, provide related instructions, and
structure wages. The apprentice wage rate
cannot be less than the minimum wage
determined by the Fair Labor Standards Act,
collective bargaining agreements or by
Florida Statutes, whichever has a higher
power.
The Department of Labor specifies three
major types of apprenticeship programs:
1) The time-based program, which requires
minimum 2,000 hours of training and
includes an outline of the specific work
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
14
processes and the approximate time
requirement for each trade work process.
2) Competency or performance-based
program, which refers to “an observable,
measurable pattern of skills, knowledge,
abilities, behaviors and other characteristics
that an individual need to perform work roles
or occupational functions successfully”. In
this program, students can accelerate the rate
of competency achievement, take additional
time beyond the approximate time of
completion, or conform to the time-based
design.
3) Hybrid program, that unites the two
above-mentioned programs. In the hybrid
type, a work process is designed with a
minimum and maximum time/hour for each
task or job requirement.
Apprenticeship in Florida is a training
system where the apprentices work full-time
(40 hours per week) during the day for a
sponsoring employer while learning the skills
of the trade as a part of the On-the-Job
Training program and while being supervised
by a mentor. Apprenticeship allows workers
to increase their wage while achieving
necessary skills. Usually, the process of
increasing the wage repeats every 6 months.
The wage rate starts at minimum 35% of the
journeyperson’s hourly rate, and after the
training is completed it goes up to no less
than 75% of the journey worker’s hourly
wage rate. Apprenticeship program requires
at least 144 training hours. The program
duration varies from 1 to 5 years, depending
on the trade. Any of the registered
apprenticeship programs works
independently and has its own application
process and requirements. However, the
program is eligible only for individuals no
less than 16 years old. Approximately 80%
of all apprenticeship programs in Florida
receive their related instruction from Local
Education Agencies (LEA) (state colleges or
state technical colleges).
Registered apprentices for related
instruction provided through LEA are free of
charge as stipulated in Florida Statute
1009.25. Only tools, books, and materials
needed for the trade should be purchased.
After the apprenticeship program is
completed, an individual receives a
Completion of Apprenticeship certificate
issued by the State of Florida. Certifications
earned through registered apprenticeship
programs are recognized nationwide.
According to the Department of Labor,
eighty-five percent of the apprenticeship
programs are related to the construction
industry in Florida.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
15
The organizational chart of DOE’s
apprenticeship department
Department of Apprenticeship in the state
of Florida exists as a part of Career and Adult
Education Department of the Department of
Education. Career and Adult Education
Department was created to fulfill the needs of
students, business and industry, school
districts, Florida colleges, community-based
organizations, and correctional institutions.
The Department’s goal is to improve
Florida’s workforce by promoting the
collaboration of both private and public
sectors throughout the state. Career and Adult
Education is delivered through a network of
service providers, which include District
Technical Centers, Adult Education
Providers, and Florida colleges.
Apprenticeship department consists of
Chancellor, Bureau chief, Director of the
apprenticeship and regional program
specialists (Figure 7).
Figure 7- The structure of the Department of Apprenticeship, State of Florida
Source: Florida Department of Education
The state of Florida is divided into seven
regions to efficiently regulate apprenticeship
programs (Figure 8). Each of the regional
representatives has its office and contact
information that is stated in Table 1.
The purposes of the regional representatives
Chancellor
Bureau Chief
Director of Apprenticeship
Program Specialist
IV,
Region 1A
Government Operations Consultant I
Program Specialist
IV,
Region 2
Program Specialist
IV,
Region 1B
Program Specialist
IV,
Region 4
Program Specialist
IV,
Region 3
Program Specialis IV,
Region 5
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
16
are:
• To align workforce development
activities and resources;
• To provide coordinated and efficient
services to businesses and job
seekers;
• To lower costs and to increase the
effectiveness of service delivery.
Figure 8 - The regions of the State of Florida
Source: Florida Department of Education
Table 3 - Regional Representatives and Contact information
Source: Florida Department of Education
Region Representative Contact information
1A William Lauver Apprenticeship Office
215 N. Market Street, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32202-
2851
Telephone: (904) 798-0060; Fax: (904) 359-2602
Email: [email protected]
1B Patrick Wright 325 W. Gaines Street, Room 754, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-
0400
Telephone: (850) 245-9006; Fax: (850) 245-9010
Email: [email protected]
2 Steven Lindas Apprenticeship Office - c/o Mid Florida Tech
2900 W. Oak Ridge Road, Orlando, Florida 32809
Telephone: (407) 251-2417; Fax: (407) 251-2418
Email: [email protected]
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
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3 Steven Seville Apprenticeship Office/Suncoast Technical College - c/o Venice
High School, 1 Indian Avenue, Venice, Florida 34285
Telephone: (941) 924-1365
Email: [email protected]
4 Randy Holmes 2550 W. Oakland Park Boulevard, Suite 136
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33311
Telephone: (954) 497-3384; Fax: (954) 497-3385
Email: [email protected]
5 Valvery Hillsman
Apprenticeship Office, c/o Dave Thomas Education Center
180 S.W. 2nd Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060
Telephone: (754) 321-6780; Fax: (754) 321-6781
Email: [email protected]
The State apprenticeship funding
The apprenticeship program is funded
through General Appropriations. The budget
fluctuates based on legislative actions. There
are no other sources of funding for the office.
For the fiscal year 2017, the apprenticeship
section was funded at approximately
$530,000.00.
The scope of work of the apprenticeship
department
The following bullet points summarize
the scope of work done by the apprenticeship
department:
• Registering Apprenticeship & Pre-
apprenticeship Programs and
participants.
• Legislative work: Since 2015, the
Department has been trying to add the
federal language into Florida’s statutes
for apprenticeship programs.
• Attracting additional funding: Bonus
Performance Funding, Federal Grants,
American Apprenticeship Initiative
Grant, Apprenticeship USA Initiative,
The Omnibus Bill, etc.
• Conducting quality assessments and
EEO program compliance reviews.
• Handling one of the largest federal
apprenticeship programs, UPS.
• Cooperating with State
apprenticeship advisory council (SAAC),
which was created to assist the
governmental authorities to cooperate
with private industry apprenticeship, pre-
apprenticeship, and on-the-job training
programs. The Council provides input to
the Florida Department of Education
(FDOE) on matters regarding
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
18
apprenticeship. Meetings twice per year
board members aim to discuss strategic
goals, needs, funding and plan of action
to promote the apprenticeship programs
in Florida.
• Creating policy and standards for
apprenticeship programs: Program
standards specify the syllabus and length
of the program, the type of training, the
wage schedule, the admission
requirements and the application process,
etc. Among the requirements for
participating in the apprenticeship
program is an entity’s agreement to
accept all applicable laws, rules,
regulations, standards and other
requirements managing the program and
its participants. Among these laws are
Chapter 446, Florida Statutes, the rules of
the Florida Department of Education,
Division of Career and Adult Education,
applicable program standards, and any
pertinent information/instructions
received from the Department or other
source, including relevant federal law,
code, regulation and policies.
• Cooperating in The Workforce
Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA): It
was created to provide job seekers and
employers an easy access to the
workforce development system. WIOA
became law on July 22, 2014. WIOA
allows promoting the transparency of
apprenticeship programs. Additionally it
fosters regional collaboration; streamline
and strengthen the role of workforce
development boards.
• Expanding veteran participation in
Apprenticeship programs.
• Promoting distance learning to retain
apprentices and expedite training.
• Cooperating with local
apprenticeship sponsors to develop the
apprenticeship standards and training
requirements.
• Creating Skills Gap Analysis survey
in order to understand the trend of how
employers are responding to the skills
gap between workers. In 2016, the
Florida Department of Economic
Opportunity together with the Bureau of
Labor Market Statistics (LMS),
CareerSource Florida and CareerSource
Broward, conducted a pilot survey to
collect data regarding employer-
identified skills gaps, hiring practices,
and job vacancies. The pilot study had a
success with providing the viability of
collecting skills gaps by occupation and
industry for several types of soft and hard
skills in a Local Workforce Development
Area (LWDA). The main goal of the
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
19
survey was to understand the skills
needed for industries in the state of
Florida and to provide the results to
workforce, education, economic
development, and labor market research
partners. For the workforce system, that
the outcome of data collection can
connect employer-based skills needs to
the capabilities of job seekers, students,
and the unemployed people. It was
decided to conduct the full survey over
Florida in 2017.
• Managing the New Apprenticeship
Management Program, RAPIDS 2.0 .
The Department’s greatest needs and
assets.
Figure 9 - The Needs and Assets of the Department of Apprenticeship, DOE
TOPIC 3:
The Business model
The formal plan for apprenticeships in
Florida: goals, objectives, strategies, and
metrics
The State Apprenticeship Advisory
Council was founded with the purpose of
providing input to the Florida Department of
Education (FDOE) on matters relating to
apprenticeship programs. The Council holds
a meeting twice per year to discuss the scope
of work by questioning what is done and what
should be done to make the apprenticeship
programs work more effectively. It is also
responsible for setting the future strategic
goals and analyzing the Apprenticeship
programs’ performance to date. The council
maintains minutes of each meeting. This
information is available to any interested
person. The Council’s Minutes of meetings
of 2017 state some goals and strategies
regarding apprenticeship programs.
According to them:
• The DEO and CareerSource Florida
are currently working together on the
Expansion Grant, which will assist in
expanding registered apprenticeship into
new industries and underrepresented
populations.
• Main focus on developing
programs will be toward the industries
that are not well represented among
apprenticeship programs: information
technologies, healthcare, and advanced
manufacturing.
• The Council is working on the
Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program
at Florida federal prison for women,
which will prepare women for call-center
jobs.
• Apprenticeship programs in
Florida are implementing new U.S. Equal
EmploymentOpportunity Commission
(EEOC) Rules and Regulations that came
out on December 19, 2016, to extend
protection against discrimination and
provide flexibility if the program has
Affirmative Action Plan. The registered
programs have time till December 2018
to come into compliance with these rules.
• One of the main goals of
Apprenticeship department is to attract
funding for apprenticeship programs.
• The Florida ApprenticeshipUSA
project was awarded by the U.S.
Department of Labor to help the state
develop and implement comprehensive
strategies to support Registered
Apprenticeship to improve Florida’s state
economic, workforce and education
talent development and delivery systems.
It intends to provide an opportunity to
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
21
further state’s resources, and to innovate
and expand apprenticeship programs to
better respond to industry workforce
demands. Additionally, the goal of this
project is to develop and maintain
innovative public partnership involving
employers, industry organizations,
Registered Apprenticeship (RA)
sponsors, state and local workforce
development systems, secondary and
post-secondary institutions and non-
profit agencies. The project intends to
address Florida critical needs for skilled,
diverse workers in high-demand and
growing industries (construction, health
services, manufacturing, and information
technology). Key partners include the
Department of Economic Opportunity,
CareerSource Florida, the Department of
Education Apprenticeship Office, Local
Workforce Development Boards, and
Industry intermediaries.
The money flow for apprenticeship
programs
A single employer or a group of
employers can become sponsors for an
apprenticeship program. Sponsors can
regulate specific program standards;
however, all registered programs should
follow the industry occupational standards to
provide authenticity and consistency in
certification. Apprentices enrolled at public
institutions do not have to pay registration,
matriculation, and lab fees. As
Apprenticeship sponsor, an employer selects
apprentices to participate in programs based
on selection criteria that are defined in the
program standards. An apprentice is
sponsored by the employer who pays all
required fees, except for books, which cost
about $100 per year. In some cases,
employers reimburse apprentices upon
completion of the program.
The cost for an employer to sponsor the
apprentice varies depending on the trade and
apprenticeship program. The Florida
Electrical Apprenticeship Association states
that the cost is $500.00 per year for the
training services and is paid by the
contractor. Book fees vary in cost and depend
on courses. More, the sponsor pays an
apprentice the wage that also differs based on
the trade. In the Apprenticeship Program of
the Associated General Contractors, most
apprenticeship training costs are paid via a
contract with Broward County Schools and
the State of Florida. Therefore, there are no
costs to the student and only minimal costs
are imposed on the contractor- sponsor. The
sponsor is responsible only for $350 fee per
student enrolled and also pays for books.
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Apprentices receive credit for working on the job and for related classroom training.
Figure 10 - Money flow for an individual in the Apprenticeship program
Over $1 billion for employment and
training services is available through
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
programs across the country. It provides not
only funds to support on-the-job training and
related instructions but also assists
apprentices with some supportive services.
Apprentices can also apply to the Federal
Financial Aid if eligible. If the apprenticeship
program is connected to LEA program of
study, then apprentices may be eligible for
Pell Grants, $3,000 on average per
apprentice. Pell Grant covers tuition, books
and lab fees. Additionally, LEA may choose
to provide federal work-study grants, $2,000
on average per apprentice.
Registered Apprenticeship programs can
also assist current and future Veteran
apprentices in accessing the earned benefits.
Veterans who are eligible for the GI Bill can
receive wage similar to apprentices and also
an additional tax-free monthly stipend (which
is paid by the U.S. Department of Veteran
Affairs). Veterans also receive tuition and fee
payments for classroom instructions.
Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors
can be certified under the GI Bill usually
within 30 days.
• Program funding
• Industry sponsors
• Federal grants
• WIOA
Input
• LEAs:
• Related class instructions
Processing• Apprentices:
• Tuition fees
• Books, class materials (in some cases)
Output
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
23
With the access to multiple funding
sources both, employers and WIOA
participants can offset the costs of
apprenticeship.
The expenditures by program across the
state
According to Florida’s Statue, The
Department of Apprenticeship programs
makes necessary expenditures from the
appropriation provided by law for personal
services, travel, printing, equipment, office
space, and supplies as provided by law.
Although some sponsors of registered
apprenticeship programs provide their own
classroom instruction, some of them
cooperate with local school districts and
community colleges. The State of Florida
also contributes funds to apprenticeship
programs through a provision in the General
Appropriations Act that coordinates base and
performance funding to workforce programs
through aid to local governments
(community colleges and school districts).
More, the state’s administrative costs
associated with carrying out legislative intent
regarding apprenticeship are funded through
general revenue.
Tracking individual trainees
According to the Department of
Education, the data regarding tracking the
individual trainees is only available through
federal Department of Labor RAPID system.
The Registered Apprenticeship Partners
Information Data System (RAPIDS)
maintains the majority of Registered
Apprenticeship programs data on an
individual level from the 25 state programs
administered by Office of Apprenticeship
(OA), as well as nine state programs
administered by State Apprenticeship
Agencies (SAA).
RAPID keeps information about
apprentices and Registered Apprenticeship
programs. This data includes demographic
information (age, race, etc.), level of
education, contact information and
apprentice’s enrollment status in a program
(incomplete registration, registered,
completed). Moreover, RAPID includes the
duration of on-the-job instruction, the related
instruction provider, the employer
identification number related to the
apprentice, apprentice wage rates, and the
type of program (e.g. single or multiple
employers, covered or not covered by a
collective bargaining agreement).
Nevertheless, not everyone can have access
to data, and the Office of Apprenticeship
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
24
website posts only limited apprenticeship
data. However, a public-friendly
recordkeeping tool would be useful to
potential apprentices, employers, program
sponsors, and researchers.
The policy about the electronic record
keeping by program sponsors operating
apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and on-
the-job training programs was created in the
State of Florida to develop more flexible
recordkeeping system. This policy applies to
all registered apprenticeship, pre-
apprenticeship, and on-the-job training
program sponsors. It refers to all electronic
recordkeeping systems used by program
sponsors for registered apprenticeship
program records and includes
microcomputers, minicomputers, mainframe
computers, and image recording systems
(regardless of storage media) in the network
or stand-alone configuration. Electronic
records include numeric, graphics, audio,
video, and textual information recorded or
transmitted in analog or digital form.
Lack of data records limits the potential
and the improvement of the Apprenticeship
programs. First of all, every individual who
completes a Registered Apprenticeship
program receives a certificate of completion
from OA. The data of the number of issued
certificates could show the demand in the
program over time, and the proportion of
individuals completing the program with
certificates would disclose if apprentices are
successfully completing their programs or
not. Secondly, accessible data would enable
employment outcomes. Data about
apprentices being employed or staying
unemployed after completing the program,
and in which industries or occupations they
are employed, would show if apprentices are
obtaining market-relevant skills. It is also
important to track whether apprentices retain
employment over time with the employer
who sponsored their apprenticeship. It is
essential because employers-sponsors in the
Registered Apprenticeship program invest in
training apprentices to have skilled workers
and would like to understand if they can to
recompense their investment in training and
hiring the apprentice. Thirdly, data regarding
wages during the apprenticeship would show
how fair apprentices are being paid during
their training. Data regarding wages after
completion the Apprenticeship program
would show whether graduates are earning
enough to sustain family’s incomes. Finally,
all Registered Apprenticeship programs
should be equitable. Accordingly,
employment and wage outcomes, as well as
certificate attainment, should be calculated
for various underrepresented demographics.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
25
This would help to ensure all participants
achieve similar results.
TOPIC 4:
Future Plans
Outreach and marketing plan for the
apprenticeship programs: relations with
local workforce boards and companies
According to the Florida Chamber, more
than 400,000 people are looking for jobs,
while 232,000 jobs are available for
recruitment annually. Florida’s businesses
and workforce development, economic
development, and education agencies are
collaborating to bridge this gap by focusing
on apprenticeship programs. The National
Office of Apprenticeship, under the U.S.
Department of Labor, has set a goal of
doubling and diversifying the number of
apprenticeships by 2019. Florida was
recently selected to help achieve this goal
through the ApprenticeshipUSA initiative.
Florida ApprenticeshipUSA project was
created to develop and maintain innovative
public partnership involving employers,
industry organizations, Registered
Apprenticeship (RA) sponsors, state and
local workforce development systems,
secondary and post-secondary institutions
and non-profit agencies across the country.
Florida is the third largest state in the US,
with the quite low unemployment rate (3.8
percent in September 2017), and record job
growth. To ensure that business needs for
skilled workersin demanding industries are
always at the forefront. ApprenticeshipFLA
(ApprenticeshipUSA Florida branch)
identified four focus-industries for statewide
outreach: manufacturing, healthcare,
information technology, and construction.
Underrepresented Floridians - women,
minorities, veterans, ex-offenders, and youth
- will also be engaged to the program, as they
use apprenticeships as an entry point of
career pathways to wealthy future.
The State of Florida is focused on expanding
Registered Apprenticeships and finding the
funding sources by establishing partnerships
and closer collaboration with other state
agencies. Thus, workforce and educational
partners across the state united to bridge gaps
to empower the state’s sector strategy
initiatives and provide benefits for both
businesses and potential apprentices (Figure
11). Highlighting the need to refer the
apprenticeship program as a model that helps
employers build a skilled workforce, major
workforce-related organizations across the
state were invited for their experience and
knowledge to create Apprenticeship Catalyst
Workgroups aimed to improve four focus
areas: Governance/Policy, Business
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
26
Outreach, Population Outreach, and Data
Sharing. Business outreach aims to bridge
existing apprenticeship program sponsors
(about 3,000 in total) related by sub-state
territories within the four critical industry
categories; to determine business advocates
and champions; to create outreach materials
with a value proposition; to determine and
foster linkages with statewide business
groups and industry associations.
Population Outreach aims to explore Career
and Technical Education and vocational
rehabilitation programs for possible
engagement; to determine best methods to
engage youth and other special groups in
apprenticeship programs; to create marketing
and outreach materials for special groups of
individuals.
Figure 11 - Benefits of participating in the Apprenticeship programs
Another way that the Apprenticeship
programs are developing statewide
partnerships is by promoting the use of
apprenticeship by the workforce system and
implementing the state’s Sector Strategies
initiative. The Sector Strategies initiative
aims to empower the local system to use
statewide partnerships not only to develop
training programs but also to establish better
career pathways. Only 4 of Florida’s 24
Local Workforce Development Boards
actively use apprenticeship as part of
providing services, and less than one percent
of all participants of WIOA programs are
engaged in apprenticeship. However, it was
determined that apprenticeship is a proved
model for building talents and skilled
workforce, which assists in faster growth and
improvement of the sector and career
pathways.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
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The state of Florida partnering with sub-
state regions, local workforce development
boards have been working together focusing
on expanding apprenticeship across the state.
In July 2017, they held an Apprenticeship
101 training webinar that gathered
Apprenticeship Training Representatives of 6
regions of the State’s Apprenticeship Agency
and Business Service Representatives from
the state’s 24 local workforce development
boards. This cross-organization training
event helped to demonstrate how
apprenticeships could be integrated into the
career pathways model using WIOA funds
without visible structural changes. Another
method to promote the program on the state
level is to involve a diverse group of
stakeholders and to design value for
apprenticeship. Moreover, every week the
Florida Department of Education’s Office of
Apprenticeship and the Department of
Economic Opportunity together with
CareerSource Florida are hosting strategy
sessions to coordinate policies, people, and
processes as part of statewide system
integration and ApprenticeshipUSA grant
compliance.
As another marketing strategy to promote
Apprenticeship program is engaging the state
to participate in the National Apprenticeship
Week (NAW). Apprenticeship programs
have been the main part of the career training
process in the United States. Therefore, to
follow the technology development and
demand changes, the push for such training
programs are completely faded. Despite this,
the importance of apprenticeship to those
ready to learn a new skill or trade is still
visible. In the U.S. it has led to an annual
week of apprenticeship awareness. It is a
National Celebration that was created by the
Department of Labor, which offers leaders in
business, labor, education, and other strategic
partners an opportunity to support the
Apprenticeship. NAW also gives
apprenticeship sponsors the opportunity to
showcase their programs, facilities, and
apprentices in their community. The weekly
events highlight the benefits of
Apprenticeship in preparing a highly skilled
workforce to meet the talent needs of
employers across diverse industries. In June
2018, the CareerSource Florida and its
partners will be hosting an
Apprenticeship/Career Pathways Summit to
present best practices for integrating
registered apprenticeships and career
pathways as part of a smooth talent pipeline.
Workforce boards and the apprenticeship
system have the same basic goals: they
connect workers to economic opportunity
while responding to employers in high-
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
28
demand industries.
Figure 12 - Funding sources for Registered Apprenticeships
Workforce boards provide a wide range
of roles as apprenticeship partners. They
provide funding, oversight or guidance,
create partnerships with employers, and
directly provide program services. Funding
for apprenticeships is of major importance
because they are not cheap and require
funding resources for on-the-job training and
related instructions for a year or more. Many
apprenticeship stakeholders prefer to partly
partner with workforce boards as a funding
strategy. In fact, a number of boards have
dedicated resources to apprenticeship. Local
workforce boards are either providing
funding for apprenticeship activities or
successfully applying and gathering external
funds to expand their apprenticeship work.
Figure 12 shows the accessible funding
sources for both- apprentices and their
sponsors.
The renewed focus of the state on
apprenticeships and the fresh insights of
industries, education and workforce experts
can further strengthen and diversify state’s
booming economy. The collaboration and
commitment to improve and develop strong
apprenticeship programs throughout the state
is a testament to Florida’s plan of actions on
a demanding national issue.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
29
Who works with businesses to get
workers hired and into apprenticeships?
Florida employers that are interested in
sponsoring a registered apprenticeship
program should first contact the
Apprenticeship Department or the regional
representatives. The office will provide
information about new and existing programs
across the state. Employers can either
become a sponsor in an existing program or
they can develop a new program in
cooperation with apprenticeship training
representatives. Sponsors of new programs
define their own training standards with the
assistance of experienced Apprenticeship
Training Representatives (ATR), who will
monitor and coordinate the development and
implementation of registered programs. The
Florida Department of Education, Division of
Career and Adult Education, Apprenticeship
Section is the authorized entity, which
implements and oversees apprenticeship
programs for state and local purposes.
Currently, ATRs coordinate approximately
200 active programs throughout the state.
They assist sponsors with program service
delivery and support on apprenticeship
matters statewide.
To become a registered apprentice,
potential candidates must apply for registered
apprentice positions. Admission
requirements and eligibility vary depending
on the program since the sponsors define the
specific training needs. However, minimum
requirements are set by federal rules.
Individuals willing to participate in registered
apprenticeship programs can also ask their
current employer about existing
apprenticeship opportunities. Or, they can
contact the Apprenticeship representative
office, regional CareerSource Centers, or ask
what is offered through local community
colleges or technical centers.
FLORIDA WORKFORCE TASKFORCE REPORT
30
References:
1. Apprenticeship: Completion and cancellation in the building trade (2013). The Aspen Institute. Available
at: www.aspenwsi.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/aspen_apprenticeship.pdf
2. CareerSource Florida website. Available at: https://careersourceflorida.com
3. Data USA. Construction sector. Available at: https://datausa.io/profile/naics/23/Florida
4. Sullivan, J., Kibert, C. J., Fenner, A. E., & Morque, S. (2017). “Florida construction workforce taskforce
report”. (Tech. Report). University of Florida: doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.13673.90728
5. Department of Education. Data Reports: Adult education. Available at:
http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/research-evaluation/data-reports-adult-edu.stml
6. Florida Administrative Code. Department 38. Available at:
https://www.flrules.org/gateway/Department.asp?toType=&DeptID=38&Sort=ID
7. Florida Department of Education. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (2016). Available at:
https://careersourceflorida.com/docking/WIOAUnifiedPlan.pdf
8. The 2017 Florida Statutes. Available at:
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0446/0446.html
9. The Florida Senate House bills. Available at:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2018/1021/?Tab=RelatedBills
10. Florida Jobs Annual Report 2016-2017. Available at:
http://www.floridajobs.org/docs/default-source/reports-and-legislation/2017-deo-annual-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2
11. US Department of Labor – Employment and training administration. Registered Apprenticeship
National Results. Available at: https://www.doleta.gov/oa/data_statistics2011.cfm
12. http://www.workforcedqc.org/sites/default/files/images/3%2031%20Apprentice_FAQ_2pg_web.pdf
13. https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2017/11/25/growing-apprenticeships-strengthen-economy-
guestview/884647001/
14. http://www.floridajobs.org/local-workforce-development-board-resources
15. http://nawb.org/documents/JFF%20NAWB%2006052017_FINAL.PDF
16. http://www.floridajobs.org/labormarketinformation/publicationsandreports/labormarket
informationreports/regionaldemandoccupationslist
17. https://www.doleta.gov/reports/searcheta/occ/papers/RIG.Vol.Two.Florida_4-22-04.pdf