The development and approval process for the registered apprenticeship program within the Lincoln Electric Company started long before we recognized this was the path we were headed down. The shortfall of skilled welders across multiple welding industries, and many conversations with industry leaders, resulted in our search for a solution. When the opportunity to apply for AACC’s Expanding Community Collee Apprenticeship Grant came along we knew we needed to act. With AACC’s help, we were able to have a short-term, year-long, federal welding apprenticeship program approved to meet industry’s needs.
Recommendations to anyone wanting to develop an apprenticeship program:
- Do research related to what needs to be in place as an industry partner.
- Talk to other organizations and industry programs that have created an apprenticeship program. What barriers did they have to overcome, and what were their successes?
- Hire and recruit people to administer the program. You will need more positions to administer the program in the first and second year to get the program implemented.
- Make sure industry and education partners (post-secondary and secondary) are involved in the development of the standards which include the work-processes or related instruction.
- Establish set expectations with all partner but allow flexibility during the development stages. to be give and take from all parties whether it’s industry or educational institutions.
- Find a consultant or someone knowledgeable in the application process to assist you with the development and submission of the apprenticeship application.
- Develop a relationship with your regional and state Office of Apprenticeship and be patient as it can take several months to get a program approved, especially when you are creating a program that breaks the norms of programs that proceed it.