This study was conducted by staff from Abt Associates, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR quantitative descriptive study guidelines.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the relationship between apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship registrations and participation in the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) grantee program.
- The study used quarterly grantee performance data to assess the outcomes of the AAI grantee program.
- The study found that grantees collectively exceeded their apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship registration targets with a significant portion of apprentices coming from underrepresented groups and joining apprenticeships in non-traditional occupations.
- Quarterly grantee performance data does not cover the last 3 months of grantee operations and data were only collected from the 45 participating AAI grantees, so findings are not generalizable to the performance of all apprenticeship sponsors or intermediaries nationally.
Intervention Examined
The American Apprenticeship Initiative
Features of the Intervention
The U.S. Department of Labor launched the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) in October 2015 using HB-1 visa program fees to expand registered apprenticeships into non-traditional sectors and among underrepresented populations. Registered apprenticeships allow participants to gain hands-on work experience while also attending related classes to master a skill or trade. A total of $175 million was awarded to 46 grantees nationwide to support their efforts in setting up new apprenticeship programs and attracting new participants for these programs. Some grantees also implemented pre-apprenticeship programs which are not formally registered with the Department of Labor but offer participants a chance to increase their skills and competencies in an occupation in preparation for participation in a registered apprenticeship program later in life.
Features of the Study
This descriptive study included 45 grantees who participated in data collection from September 30, 2017 to August 9, 2021. One grantee was excluded as they ceased operations before data collection began. The sample included 12 state government organizations, 10 colleges, 9 sub-state government agencies, and 4 industry organizations. Approximately one-third of the grantees had no prior experience with registered apprenticeships. The data for this study originated from the Apprenticeship Quarterly Performance Reports submitted by grantees to the Department of Labor. These reports monitor program registration and apprenticeship enrollments, providing details about the demographic characteristics of individuals who participated in registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships. The authors calculated descriptive statistics from this data, including total grantee registrations and percentages showing the progress towards both individual and overall grantee goals.
Findings
- The study found that the 45 grantees collectively registered 2,111 apprenticeship programs through June 2021 exceeding their collective target by 2%.
- Of the apprenticeship programs registered by grantees, 77% were outside of the construction sector (in non-traditional sectors).
- The study found that the 45 grantees collectively registered 29,554 individual apprentices which exceeded their collective target by 3%.
- The grantees were successful in connecting underrepresented groups to apprenticeship programs. Among the registered apprentices, 28% were women, 14% were of Hispanic origin, 14% were Black, 9% were veterans, and 2% were people with disabilities.
- The study found that 39 of 45 grantees chose to implement pre-apprenticeship programs and that they collectively created 271 pre-apprenticeship programs by the end of data collection.
- The grantees implementing pre-apprenticeship programs enrolled 10,811 people, exceeding their combined target by 134%.
- The study found that underrepresented groups made up a higher proportion of the pre-apprentice cohort with 35% of pre-apprentices being women, 34% being Black, 14% being veterans, and 7% being people with disabilities.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The quarterly performance data in this study does not include the last months of some grantees' operations. As a result, the findings may not show the total number of programs or apprentices registered by these grantees. Also, the findings only reflect the performance of 45 AAI grantees, so they cannot be generalized to all apprenticeship sponsors or intermediaries across the country.