Located in:
- Program-specific Requirements for Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities under Title I-B
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following with respect to activities carried out under subtitle B—
b. 2. Registered Apprenticeship
Describe how the State will incorporate Registered Apprenticeship into its strategy for service design and delivery (e.g., job center staff taking applications and conducting assessments).
Current Narrative:
Registered Apprenticeship is a potential workforce solution that contributes to the development of industry-defined competencies and also serves as a proven industry-driven workforce.
Since 2018, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce of Puerto Rico thru Workforce Development Program is working as an Apprenticeship Office under USDOL-OA Region I oversight. In this capacity, the department has direct contact with Registered Apprenticeship Sponsors/Employers and promotes the utilization of WIOA funding to employers in training WIOA qualified apprentice participants. There is a stipulation that the employer will retain the apprentice upon completion of the first year of the apprenticeship program. Incentives exist for employers which include direct financial assistance for the apprentices’ related training instruction.
For eligible participants, local Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult and Dislocated Worker funds may be used for not only Registered Apprenticeships, but for pre-apprenticeship training, such as remediation and/or basic job skills training, to prepare an individual for a Registered Apprenticeship program.
Registered Apprenticeships can be funded through several mechanisms. Given the unique nature of Registered Apprenticeships, there are several ways in which training services will be used in conjunction with these programs:
- Registered Apprenticeships generally involve both classroom and on-the-job instruction. An On-the-Job Training (OJT) contract may be developed with a Registered Apprenticeship program for training participants. The OJT contracts are made with the employer. The OJT contract may be made to support some or all of the OJT portion of the Registered Apprenticeship program,
- A combination of an Individual Training Account (ITA) to cover classroom instruction along with an OJT contract to cover some or all of the work-based training portion of the Registered Apprenticeship is allowed, and
- Incumbent worker training may be used for upskilling apprentices who already have an established working/training relationship with the Registered Apprenticeship program.
Local areas may also include support services, in coordination with career and/or training services to participants in a Registered Apprenticeship program. The supportive services must be consistent with the WIOA Section 134(d)(2) and state and local policies.
An Apprenticeship State Expansion Grant was awarded to DEDC to promote the expansion of apprenticeship programs across occupations and industries sectors and encourage diversity in the apprentice population. The performance period ends on June 30, 2022.