Treffer: Considerations for Apprenticeship Occupational Suitability and Reciprocity: Insights from Seven State Apprenticeship Agencies

For more than a decade, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has prioritized apprenticeship expansion by promoting apprenticeship in nontraditional occupations (i.e., outside the construction sector) and by encouraging apprenticeship as a training option to increase the number of apprentices. Two ways to expand apprenticeships are to approve new occupations for apprenticeships and to recognize apprenticeship programs from other states (i.e., reciprocity). The DOL Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and OA-recognized State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs) determine occupational suitability for an apprenticeship. This brief describes how purposively selected SAA states determine whether an occupation is suitable for a state-only apprenticeship program and the agencies' rationale for approving state-only occupations. It also explores how these states determine whether to grant reciprocity for programs registered by OA or another SAA. It concludes with implications for apprenticeship expansion and areas for future research.

As Provided