Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the implementation of the Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) Apprenticeship Pilot which focused on providing apprenticeship opportunities to transitioning service members and their spouses.
- The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation using semi-structured interviews, VETS Apprenticeship Pilot case management data, and document reviews of pilot participants.
- The study found that the VETS Apprenticeship Pilot delivered its services as designed. However, the type of services and their intensity differed based upon the number of days that transitioning service members and their spouses had until their transition back to civilian life.
- The study was able to obtain data related to the acceptance of an apprenticeship, but it did not have access to employment outcomes or apprenticeship completion. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the initial design and data collection methods.
- There was no companion impact study.
Intervention Examined
Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) Apprenticeship Pilot
Features of the Intervention
- Type of Organization: Military
- Location/Setting: Multi-site
- Population served and scale: 1,492 transitioning service members and spouses
- Industry Focus: Manufacturing; Transportation and warehousing; Health services; Information technology/cybersecurity
- Intervention Activities: Apprenticeship workshops; Resume building; Apprenticeship application submission
- Organizational Partnerships: Employers
- Cost: Not Included
- Fidelity: Not Included
The Apprenticeship Pilot was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Services (VETS) in 2019. The VETS Apprenticeship Pilot aimed to increase access to apprenticeship opportunities, helping Americans find jobs that support their families while also addressing employers' need for skilled workers. The pilot targeted service members and their spouses who were about to transition from the military and reenter civilian life between April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021. The Apprenticeship Pilot was originally implemented at eight military installations across six states.
The Apprenticeship Pilot helped transitioning service members (TSMs) and their spouses by offering workshops on apprenticeships and pairing them with a counselor who assisted in finding apprenticeship opportunities and completing applications. These counselors built connections with employers in information technology/cybersecurity, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and business management and administration fields to provide apprenticeship opportunities for their clients. The program aimed to raise awareness about apprenticeships among TSMs and their spouses and set a goal to place 385 participants in apprenticeships by the end of the pilot.
Features of the Study
The data sources for the implementation study included semi-structured interviews, case management data from the Apprenticeship Pilot, and a review of documents related to Apprenticeship Pilot participants. A total of 46 semi-structured interviews were held with key groups, including Apprenticeship Pilot administrators, national staff, Office of Apprenticeship personnel, VETS administrators, regional veteran coordinators, employer partners, state apprenticeship staff, government officials, and TSMs along with their spouses who were part of the Apprenticeship Pilot. The study authors conducted interviews with staff, employers, and administrators who were actively involved in the Apprenticeship Pilot, while TSMs and their spouses were interviewed if they had engaged with their Apprenticeship Pilot counselor two or more times or had applied for a registered or unregistered apprenticeship. The study authors collected interview data and participated in Apprenticeship Pilot work group meetings remotely. They took notes during these sessions and coded the interview notes to identify key terms and trends around participation, participant characteristics, service receipt, apprenticeship submission, and apprenticeship acceptance.
Study Sites
There were eight study sites:
- Fort Bliss, Texas
- Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
- Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
- Naval Station San Diego, California
- Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
- Travis Air Force Base, California
Findings
Intervention Activities/Services
- The study found that the Apprenticeship Pilot delivered services as designed, but the level of service varied based on the time remaining before service members transitioned to civilian life. For those with 180 days or more until their transition, counseling occurred once a month, focusing on preparing for apprenticeship searches and applications. Service members with 46 to 180 days until transition had bi-weekly meetings with counselors, which included support for contacting employers and applying for apprenticeships. In the final 45 days before transition, service members met weekly with their counselors, receiving more intensive assistance in identifying and applying for apprenticeship opportunities.
- The pilot enrolled 1,492 TSMs and their spouses, of which 97.7% were TSMs and 2.3% were spouses.
- On average, TSMs and their spouses met with their counselor 4.1 times prior to submitting their apprenticeship application.
- The study found that 276 apprenticeship applications were submitted, of which 79 TSMs and their spouses were offered a registered or unregistered apprenticeship and had accepted the apprenticeship.
- The most common apprenticeship placements were information technology (19%) and cybersecurity (16%).
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
- The Apprenticeship Pilot was to be implemented at eight military installations, where counselors met with TSMs and their spouses in person at their installation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Apprenticeship Pilot operated online, which increased enrollment by allowing TSMs and spouses from around the world to participate remotely.
- The Apprenticeship Pilot initially aimed to place 385 TSMs and their spouses into apprenticeships. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and fewer apprenticeship opportunities, the pilot changed their goal to 70 placements
- The Apprenticeship Pilot initially used the DOL apprenticeship website to find apprenticeship listings, but it did not provide suitable options for TSMs and their spouses. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to a drop in available apprenticeships. To address this, the pilot hired an employer outreach coordinator to find appropriate apprenticeships and connect with employers. Additionally, counselors searched the internet for employers who provided apprenticeships and shared the information with the employer outreach coordinators.
- The Apprenticeship Pilot experienced a high frequency of staff turnover, due to the short duration of the pilot, uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of sufficient resources to execute job duties, low wages compared to other jobs in the field, and a demand for pilot staff to hit numeric targets each month. To reduce turnover, the pilot offered financial incentives to employees who remained until the pilot ended.
- Most TSMs and their spouses (74%) submitted only one apprenticeship application. The Apprenticeship Pilot trained staff to encourage TSMs and their spouses to apply to multiple apprenticeships, as well as attend remote job fairs. The pilot set weekly targets for staff to achieve in placing apprentices and offered monetary incentives when those targets were met.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The Apprenticeship Pilot was designed and implemented prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and was meant to be a face-to-face intervention. The pandemic altered the implementation of the pilot and the availability of apprenticeships available to TSMs and their spouses. The Apprenticeship Pilot had access to apprenticeship acceptance data but did not have access to employment outcome and apprenticeship completion data.