Finding success in a Registered Apprenticeship (RA) Program is easier than you think. Whether you're an employer, educator, or individual interested in becoming an apprentices, we're hear to help make your path successful.
Both new and existing programs have common questions that can arise, and ours staff is ready to help answer them. View the list below of the most common questions and answers for each of the main audiences in an apprenticeship program (for apprentices, employers, educators). Click on the plus sign to expand the various questions. If you need one-on-one support, connect with the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship today!
There are many reasons to become a Registered Apprentice! Let's start with a few:
Earn a paycheck while learning skills in a valuable work environment.
Receive a nationally recognized credential in a high-demand job (with little to no debt).
Build your skill set and lay the foundation for a successful career path. Many apprentices also receive offers to remain with their employer.
A Registered Apprenticeship is designed to make sure you receive the training you need to succeed in a career -- so it depends on what career path you choose. Typically, programs range from one to five years, depending on the occupation, but they are designed to make it easier to get into your career path. As an apprentice, you’ll get 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and at least 144 hours of related classroom instruction per year.
Registered Apprenticeship Programs are a great option because you have the opportunity to grow your own talent with an employer who's invested in you and your success. Training is designed to help you become ready for the position or occupation that is in front of you.
Within a program, many apprentices also earn a paycheck while they are learning. When they reach completion, they'll have a new credential and potentially a new job offer.
The vast majority of apprentices remain at their employer after the completion of their apprenticeship program. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 94 percent of apprentices who complete a registered apprenticeship retain employment, with an average annual salary of $80,000.
Not only do apprentices become trained in technical skills, but they also become connected to the culture of the company -- making their transition to a full-time career that much easier.
More and more high schools in Iowa are offering Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs that provide a great entry point into a promising career path.
High schools also offer Quality Pre-Apprenticeship programs, which prepare high school students to meet the basic qualifications for entry into an RA program.
Yes, but they vary according to your career path. Each individually registered program sponsor (employer) will discuss specific requirements for eligibility.
In most cases, your employer will pay for classroom-related costs. You just have to focus on learning.
A student's first step should be reaching out to their local guidance counselor to start a conversation about apprenticeships.
Registered Apprenticeships can help Iowa employers design and build a workforce around their individual needs. Employers can:
Tailor learning to make certain that potential employees know how to perform tasks the way you want them performed.
Select apprentices based on potential and personality, because you'll be teaching them every thing they need to become a professional.
Develop loyal, long-term employees by investing in workers at the very beginning of their careers.
Many apprentices have little or no industry knowledge when they start. Apprentices can be new hires -- or, businesses can select current employees to join the program. A Registered Apprenticeship is a good way to reward high-performing entry-level employees and move them up the career ladder within the business.
Employers are encouraged to connect with Iowa Office of Apprenticeship staff to help jumpstart their recruiting efforts for programs, which can be both for adults and students. Some efforts can begin as early as middle school to help students understand what prerequisites to take and how to begin an apprenticeship later in high school or beyond.
Apprentice programs in Iowa can be both for adults and students. While there are some differences between these types of programs, they share a common goal: creating valuable programs that teach valuable skills and help build the workforce pipeline. There is a reason why apprenticeships are now available in many more occupations (not just in the traditional trades) and why apprentices typically stay employed: Apprenticeships work, and they can be the answer to meeting your workforce needs.
All workers who successfully complete a Registered Apprenticeship will leave with a nationally recognized credential -- something certifying that they are able to perform their job at a qualified level.
But in addition to technical skills, apprentices also graduate having been trained in the culture of the company. As a result, many become loyal employees who are less likely to leave. In many cases, the apprentices you train become the next generation of your workforce pipeline that can help drive your business for years to come.
Iowa Workforce Development and the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship can work with your company to make certain that it follows all federal guidelines in setting up a Registered Apprenticeship. We can support all employers, whether you're adapting an established training program or creating an innovative new way to bring Registered Apprenticeship to a new occupation.
Apprentices will receive a credential after completion of your program. In addition, many employers find benefit beyond the initial program, as most apprentices do become full-time employees because they have the crucial skills and knowledge employers want to have in their workforce.
Over 1,400 occupations may be utilized for RA, including careers in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, business, health care, information technology, and veterinary care.
Schools work directly with employers to ensure apprentices meet program expectations. That includes educators observing them on the job and conferring with the employer about evaluations. If problems arise, staff will work to address them in conjunction with the employer.
An employer may start a program with just one student in partnership with a single school district. The starting pay must be minimum wage, with at least one pay progression during the program.
Information related to insurance, youth employment, and liability issues have been explored and resolved as RA programs have expanded across Iowa. The Iowa Office of Apprenticeship can help you find the answers to these questions.
In Iowa, school districts typically serve as the intermediary sponsor for a Registered Apprenticeship in high school. This means that they help recruit the participating students and oversee the program -- making sure that it remains aligned with federal requirements, schedules related classroom instruction and milestones, and follows students to the completion of certification after high school.
From an initial school-business discussion to the point of standing up a program can take a matter of weeks or months, depending on the circumstances for each situation. This also depends on how quickly high schools and employers can complete their steps, recruit, and sign their first apprentice(s). Regardless of one's situation, state apprenticeship staff are here to provide a clear outline to guide new program development and will work with you one-on-one to make it happen.
Yes, there are state and federal grants that support both existing and new programs. Depending on the time of year, grants could be open or closed. Visit this page to learn about the funding opportunities available for Registered Apprenticeship.
The full list of high schools participating in Registered Apprenticeship and their contact information can be found here: RA Program and Data Information
Even if you're not ready to be an intermediary sponsor, you can still use the page above to view programs that may include a nearby school district, nonpublic school, or community college that offers an RA program that your students can benefit from.
