Iowa Ag Connection - Reynolds, Gregg Highlight National Apprenticeship Week

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Reynolds, Gregg Highlight National Apprenticeship Week
Iowa Ag Connection - 11/14/2018

At their weekly media conference Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg encouraged Iowans and Iowa businesses to explore Registered Apprenticeship opportunities during Registered Apprenticeship Appreciation and Awareness Week, Nov. 12-18, 2018. The celebration was held at the Ottumwa Job Corps Center, the nation's largest career technical training and education program for low-income youth ages 16 through 24.

Gov. Reynolds signed a proclamation on Nov. 1, 2018, to recognize the purpose and value of Registered Apprenticeship training and to promote expansion of these opportunities within the state. Special events across Iowa during National Apprenticeship Week will highlight different types of programs, public-private partnerships, new facilities and unique community outreach efforts. See below for a few highlights and visit the National Apprenticeship Week website for the full listing and find an event near you.

"The need for more Registered Apprenticeships has been a recurring theme at the 16 Future Ready Iowa summits to date," Gov. Reynolds said. "The earn and learn model allows employers to train a workforce that meets their needs and Registered Apprentices to earn a paycheck while learning on the job. It is a win-win solution for Iowa."

Additional funding to help small-to-mid-size organizations start new Registered Apprenticeship Programs was part of the Future Ready Iowa Act passed unanimously by the Iowa Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Reynolds in January 2018. This Registered Apprenticeship Development Program (15C) provides $1 million in grants for organizations establishing a Registered Apprenticeship Program in a high-demand occupation.

"This is a great time for Iowa organizations to start a Registered Apprenticeship Program," Lt. Gov. Gregg said. "There are more resources available now than in the past to help organizations start new programs, especially in areas where we have skill gaps, such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing and information technology."

The 15C funding is in addition to $3 million in annual funding available through the Iowa Apprenticeship Act (15B), which is administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). The 15B program helps defray ongoing Registered Apprenticeship training costs.

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) also is partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)/Office of Apprenticeship and IEDA to grow the number of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Iowa. The work is supported by $2.8 million in ApprenticeshipUSA State Expansion Grants from DOL. Organizations creating a new Registered Apprenticeship Program or adding another occupation in certain industries can receive an incentive of $350 per Registered Apprentice or $500 per Registered Apprentice who qualifies as an underrepresented population (women, minorities, veteran, youth or people with disabilities).

"In the past several years, Iowa has started many innovative Registered Apprenticeship Programs from a bee keeper to a wine maker," Greer Sisson, DOL Office of Apprenticeship State Director, said. "Registered Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential."

As of Oct. 30, 2018, Iowa had 754 active Registered Apprenticeship Programs and more than 8,000 Registered Apprentices. In just the past month, Iowa has registered 13 new programs and 95 Registered Apprentices have completed their programs. The momentum around growing Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in non-traditional sectors will help Iowa reach its Future Ready Iowa goal, which calls for 70 percent of Iowa's workforce to have education or training beyond high school by 2025.

Information about Registered Apprenticeships in Iowa is available at www.earnandlearniowa.gov. The website serves the needs of both job seekers and employers, who can fill out a form to be contacted to learn more.

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