1. Enhancing Supports for Low-income Apprentices Washington State’s Work-based Learning Policy Project
NCWE Annual Conference October 8-9, 2019

2. Investigating Apprenticeship Pathways
Challenge: Apprenticeship deemed unavailable pathway for low-income populations due to assumed resource limitations
Mapping Activity:
5 construction apprenticeship pathways
4 low-income population scenarios
Systemic state-level resources
Objective: Identify resource gaps and present recommendations to increase access to apprenticeships and retention for low-income populations

3. Execution Plan Phase 1: Investigation Phase 2: Strategy Development
Home Team and SME Team Development
Project Background Information and Terminology
Exploration of Disadvantaged Population Demographics and Completion Data
Apprenticeship Pathway Inventory and Mapping
System-level State Resources Inventory and Mapping
Phase 2: Strategy Development
Based on identified needs: develop recommendations
Phase 3: Strategy Execution
Based on strategies: legislation, guidance, marketing campaign
The investigative phase has been the heaviest lift for this project. This included a strategic focus on stakeholder engagement, establishing a common language, understanding low-income and apprenticeship populations and changing the conversation and understanding of apprenticeship pathways and state resources.
We are currently working on phase 2 and 3 and will be sharing some of the draft recommendations and next step strategies already in progress.
But first we will share how we structured this project to ensure stakeholder engagement and different look at apprenticeship to change the conversation.

4. Stakeholder Engagement
Core Team
Construction Center of Excellence
WA Department of Social & Health Services
WA State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
Home Team
WA Building Trades Council
WA State Labor Council
NW Iron Worker’s Union
State Apprenticeship Council
SBCTC, Apprenticeship
SBCTC, Basic Education for Adults
SBCTC, WorkFirst
SBCTC, SNAP Employment & Training
DSHS, SNAP-Food Programs & Policy Administrator
DSHS, TANF-WorkFirst Program Manager
DSHS, WIOA Project Program Manager
SME Team
Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board
Construction Industry Training Council (CITC)
Puget Sound Electrical JATC
NWCI Pre-Apprenticeship
ANEW
Dept. of Labor & Industries
Employment Security Department
Labor Apprenticeship Coordinators
College Apprenticeship Coordinators
…and more!
peter

5. Apprenticeship Pathways
Apprenticeship Pathways – Construction
Electricians
Laborers
Carpenters
Ironworkers
Construction Industry Training Council (CITC)
Shana
We quickly realized we needed to change the conversation concerning apprenticeship pathways in order to address access and supports for low-income populations in apprenticeship
Discussions concerning viability of apprenticeship pathways is usually focused on generalities – i.e. apprenticeship is paid on-the-job training so if we just get the individual signed up they will be good to go and won’t need public assistance; there is X hours of OJT and X hours of RSI they need to complete hides the cyclical structure of wages and no-wages throughout the apprenticeship pathway; etc.
However, in order to address the viability of these pathways for low-income populations we must look at each apprenticeship pathway individually
The details are important and not all apprenticeship pathways are the same – entry requirements, sequencing of RSI and OJT, credit, etc.
Therefore, we will chose to begin with mapping 5 apprenticeship pathways in the construction field, each with varying levels of skill attainment, wage progressions, union and non-union, etc.
In addition to addressing the challenges for low-income apprentices, we hope to establish a mapping model to apply to other apprenticeship pathways in the future

6. System-level State Resources
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Employment & Training (“SNAP E&T” aka “BFET”)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
WorkFirst Program
Worker Retraining (State Funds)
Working Connections Childcare
Opportunity Grant (State Funds)
State Need Grant
Erin
In order to establish a model for mapping other pathways, we have chosen to limit resource analysis to system-level state public assistance resources that are more likely to be available in all service areas.

7. Population Scenarios Public Assistance Recipients
Single Adult, SNAP E&T
Single Parent, one child, SNAP E&T
Single Parent, one child, TANF
*Single Parent, two child, TANF
Erin
Since eligibility criteria can vary based on family size and other factors, we also determined that we must look at specific population scenarios. This is also important to maintain a system-level analysis.
We selected population scenarios to include individuals and families, and specifically selected the Single Parent, Two Children model to mimic the standard family scenario used by our Dept. of Social and Health services in their reports to the legislature.

8. Mapping Apprenticeship Pathways
Preparing to Enter
Creating Stability
Pre-apprenticeship
Meeting Basic Needs
Pathway Variables
New Conversation
Access & Retention Supports
Period of Support
Benefit Alignment
Wage Gaps
Current Perception
Just Sign Up
&
Get Paid
While You Train
erin

9. Map Version 1 - Laborers er

10. Map Version 2 - Laborers

11. Pathway Deep Dives Stakeholder engagement with apprenticeship maps
What opportunities are there to support participants in these pathways?
What policies support or hinder low-income individuals from entering or completing these pathways?
What state-level resources (existing or not) could support low-income individuals in these pathways?
What other elements should the project team investigate?

12. Potential Recommendations
State Policy
Program Policy
Practice
Resources

13. Potential Recommendations
State Policy
Approve All Registered Apprenticeships for SNAP Employment & Training
Post-TANF support services through initial OJT
Post-TANF Cash Assistance during first RSI

14. Potential Recommendations
Program Policy
Ensure RSI is credited and connected to degree
Articulate RSI credit at the front end
Basic Education articulation for boot camps
Approve Apprenticeship for Opportunity Grant

15. Potential Recommendations
Practice
College staff promote apprenticeship access and supports
Engage potential apprentices in basic education or pre-apprenticeship programs
Advance drug testing to align with cannabis legalization
Ensure potential apprentices understand cyclical pattern of RSI and OJT

16. Potential Recommendations
Resources
Establish a State Apprentices Support Fund
Increase access to child care

17. Next Steps Child Care Task Force College Apprenticeship Support Series
Continued Stakeholder Engagement
Release report this fall
Marketing Campaign
Legislative Requests
Further Research:
Investigation of other apprenticeship pathways
Investigation of other state-level resources
Inclusion of local resources for community efforts
Racial Equity
Gender Equity
Resource Matrix – still pulling the details into a usable format for overlaying
Background Documentation – we know we are going to be promoting apprenticeship for low-income populations so we are continuing to develop a project overview and findings document to be the foundation for any future marketing and advocacy efforts
Mapping Party
WWA Conference
Apprenticeship Conference

18. Questions/Thoughts
Shana Peschek Director, Construction Center of Excellence Dr. Erin Frasier WA State Board for Community & Technical Colleges Peter Guzman Louisa Erickson WA Department of Social & Health Services