Narrative: b. 2.

The District of Columbia is currently recognized by the US Department of Labor to operate as a State Apprenticeship Agency pursuant to Title 29 CFR, part 29.13, and has been since 1946. In 1978, the District of Columbia established a local mandatory apprenticeship law (D.C. Law 2-156) that requires contractors, who are awarded contracts to perform work on District government-assisted construction projects, to register apprenticeship programs with the District of Columbia. The law was amended in 2004 to require a minimum of 35% apprenticeship hours on all government assisted projects to be performed by DC residents. Any contractor who fails to comply with the amended apprenticeship law is subject to a fine of 5% of direct and indirect labor cost of their contract amount. D.C. Official Code § 32-1431(c)(1). Since the amended law took effect in 2005, there was an immediate impact on the percentages of DC residents employed on District government assisted projects. The results of the amended apprenticeship law continue to be evidence of its effectiveness in generating apprenticeship opportunities for residents on many major city projects:

• Martin Luther King Library – 112,003.39 apprenticeship hours worked, 67,671.14 or 60.42% apprenticeship hours performed by DC residents.
• Maury School – 17,898.39 apprenticeship hours, 11,944.39 or 66.74% apprenticeship hours performed by DC residents
• Maple View Flats – 12,440.09 apprenticeship hours, 8,372.89 or 67.31% apprenticeship hours performed by DC residents
• Orr School – 16,975.50 apprenticeship hours, 12,533 apprenticeship hours performed by DC residents.

To complement its long history of apprenticeship programs in the construction industry, the District of Columbia continues to succeed in its expansion efforts to add more non-traditional sectors as apprenticeship career options. These efforts resulted in eight (8) new non-traditional registered apprenticeship programs in the information technology, hospitality and clean energy industries during FYs 18-19. The District Columbia will also use local resources to continue funding pre-apprenticeship cohorts to introduce residents to opportunities as apprentices, coupled with apprenticeship sponsor participation in the ETPL to create an attractive option for non-traditional sector employers to enter the system to include healthcare and expand existing non-traditional apprentice-able occupations. OAIT continues to encourage current and new apprenticeship sponsors to apply for the ETPL.

Apprenticeship is not limited to the private sector: state and federal government agencies have established registered apprenticeship programs, in which state and federal workers are employed in various apprentice-able occupation areas. During FY-18, the District was also successful in securing apprenticeship registration with three (3) District government agencies for DC resident employees. The District agencies include: Department of Public Workers (DPW), Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and DC Water. The occupation areas include, automotive technician specialist, building inspector, wastewater treatment technician, quality assurance, etc.  There are other District government agencies in which apprenticeship can be implemented. Expanding the apprenticeship system to include more programs in District government agencies will increase and retain more DC residents in its workforce and reduce the need to seek skilled workers from outside of Washington, DC when existing seasoned workers retire. Examples of other DC agencies, in which apprenticeship can be implemented in occupations certified by the Department of Labor:

• Department of Transportation - equipment operator
• DC Public Schools - teacher aide; this is an area in which a high school graduate can enter as an apprentice, while taking college courses at UDC towards eventually earning a degree in education or certification in child care. This could also assist residents participating in TANF.
• Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) in information technology
• Other apprentice-able occupations in the health-care field can be applied to Washington, DC’s hospital such as, medical assistant, medical laboratory technician, medical coder, and nurse assistant.
• Apprenticeship can also be implemented for DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department in the area of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The related instruction for the occupation can be held at UDC.

To support the ongoing growth and expansion of Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, DOES has focused on strategies related to the alignment of partner systems, the leveraging of federal, state, and private resources, and the inclusion of underrepresented groups. Recently, the District was awarded an Apprenticeship State Expansion Grant from DOL to expand registered apprenticeship in healthcare, hospitality and IT along with partnerships in traditional industries. The grant is for three (3) years.

Through the Career Pathways Task Force and other partner-led initiatives, DOES has convened with education, workforce, and economic development partners such as, businesses and industry intermediaries. The partnerships and planning sessions have been purposed to better align systems and increase resident accessibility to pathways and earn-as-you-learn opportunities, including apprenticeship, in both traditional and non-tradition industry sectors.

DOES currently leverages federal, state, and private resources to develop registered apprenticeship programs, to provide general tuition assistance, and to support enrolled registered apprentices with supportive services. DOES encourages the enrollment of registered apprentices in WIOA and ensures registered apprentices consistently have the opportunity to enroll throughout their participation. Strategies to support registered apprentices through OJT and ITAs have also been developed. Private resources have been and will continue to be used in the development of employer-based apprenticeship programs. Local grants have been utilized for pre-apprenticeship training in both construction and non-construction industries.

The DOES Office of Talent and Client Services, in conjunction with the OAIT, continues to serve as the primary connection to assist residents in entering registered apprenticeship programs and positions. To ensure the inclusion of underrepresented groups in these efforts, DOES currently has referral partnerships with IDEA Charter School, DC Public Schools, the American Job Centers, The Office of Youth Programs, Division of State Initiatives, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that service  TANF and Food Stamp Employment and Training program (FSET) participants, and various workforce programs throughout the District. To further increase inclusion, DOES has actively identified and met with agencies and organizations committed to serving women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, communities of color, and economically disadvantaged groups.