Welcome to the third issue of the Apprenticeship SEPA E-Newsletter. We created this e-newsletter to keep you informed about what’s happening with apprenticeships in the Southeast PA (SEPA) region, nation, and world, as well as spotlight the hard-working partners and apprentices that make these programs a success. I’ll use this space to provide any important updates and/or thoughts that I have about apprenticeships. I hope you find this e-newsletter informative and insightful, and please don’t hesitate to contact me at mgenua@philaworks.org with any suggestions for future issues. 

As we close out 2017, I’m thankful for all the partners who I’ve met and worked with over the past year. Together, we have made great strides in developing programs that combine job training and educational learning (in other words, apprenticeship) for the SEPA region, and this work has been noticed at the local, state, and federal levels with public official visits, feature newspaper articles, and radio and TV segments. We are making the SEPA region a hub for apprenticeship activity, and other regions are looking to replicate our work. For 2018, we have even higher aspirations for apprenticeships in the SEPA region, and through our partnerships, we will achieve these goals. When I write to you in December 2018, I want to say that we have a true apprenticeship system that includes a variety of employers, occupations, and participants and is woven into the workforce system. Thank you all again, and I’ll see you in 2018…the year of the apprenticeship.

-Mark Genua, Apprenticeship Program Director, Philadelphia Works
More highlights from National Apprenticeship Week 2017:

JEVS Human Services hosted high school students at their "Bridge to Employment: How Apprenticeship Jump-start a Career" event with current and former apprentices.

SPIN took the opportunity to honor their Direct Support Professional apprentices, mentors, and staff at various Apprentice Champion Recognition mini-events throughout the week.

Finishing Trades Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Region hosted an open house where attendees learned about apprenticeship opportunities that lead to family sustaining careers in the Drywall Finishing, Glazing and Glass Working, Commercial Painting, Bridge Painting and Wall Covering Industries.

Bucks County Community College held a Meat/Meet the Apprentices event that raised funding for their meat cutting and processing apprenticeship program.

The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 14 held an open house to introduce potential apprentices to their trade.
Partner Spotlight: Finishing Trades Institute

Through their Vocational Internship Program (VIP), Finishing Trades Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Region (FTI) offers high school students across Philadelphia a pathway to union apprenticeship programs offered at FTI, including welding, industrial painting/drywall finishing, glaziers and more. Currently, FTI takes 60 high school juniors and seniors and provides them with one day of vocational and safety education per week for a period of 15 weeks twice a school year.

“It’s extremely important that we develop and train a skilled workforce from today’s students, so that we may combat the predicted shortage of skilled tradespeople in the future,” said Sen. John Sabatina Jr. in a statement. “These opportunities provided via professional and technical training offer students a future career path that delivers lucrative and family sustaining jobs.”

With the support of a grant from the Philadelphia School Partnership the Finishing Trades Institute will be able to expand this program to reach more of Philadelphia's youth. A ceremony with School District of Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite and Mayor Jim Kenney took place on Thursday, Nov. 30 at FTI to make the announcement of the expansion.

“Through the Vocational Internship Program, we have been able to introduce students from across the city to lucrative careers in building trades,” said Dennis McDonough, recruitment coordinator for the Finishing Trades Institute in a statement. “Our program not only prepares students for real jobs, but also gives them an academic foundation that prepares them to be successful in life.”


Resource Center: Expanding Apprenticeship to Under-Represented Populations
Registered Apprenticeship continues to expand in the U.S. at rates not seen in a decade.

To meet the new demand for apprentices, all potential candidates must be considered, which is why states, employers, and intermediaries have been making efforts to directly address those segments of the nation’s population that remain under-represented in apprenticeships.

Check out these resources including tools, program examples, outreach materials, and other resources for these target populations.
Apprentice Spotlight
In March of 2017, Knatosh Williams-Walker began as a pre-apprentice with the behavioral health and intellectual disabilities program at 1199C Training & Upgrading Fund.

Since graduating on June 2, Knatosh has been working at Kensington Community Corporation for Individual Dignity. Knatosh praises the program for being extremely helpful while supporting its participants and learning new information that has helped him with his job. When asked if he would recommend this program to his peers Knatosh explains, "I 100% recommend this program to those who are truly interested in helping others. If you are invested in helping those in need or with a disability, this program is for you. 1199C helps with transportation, financial advice, professional profiles, and certificates to be eligible to work in the field."


Image source: ECMC
The Role of Community Colleges in Registered Apprenticeship
Community colleges often play a critical role in Registered Apprenticeship programs. They can develop the curriculum and provide the classroom instruction portion of an apprenticeship. They can provide college credits leading toward, or even completion of, an associate degree.

As Registered Apprenticeship as a workforce development tool continues to flourish across the country, the roles for many community colleges are also growing. It is not uncommon for community colleges to screen apprenticeship applicants, work with economic and workforce development, or even act as the program sponsor, handling the administration of the Registered Apprenticeship program.
 

Source: workforcegps.org
PA Apprenticeship and Training Council Approves New Registered Apprenticeship Programs
The Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council reviewed and approved the below Registered Apprenticeship programs in the SEPA region at the most recent council meetings. Congratulations to the following companies on their Registered Apprenticeship programs:


You can find more information from the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council here.
Apprenticeships in the News - Southeast PA & Beyond
PWDA 34th Annual Employment, Training & Education Conference
Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA
May 16-18, 2018

Registration is now open. Click here for more information.

JFF National Summit 2018
New Orleans, LA
June 13-14, 2018

Apprenticeship SEPA is an e-newsletter produced by Philadelphia Works.   Please conta ct Dara Zaleski at dzaleski@philaworks.org if you have any questions or comments. We hope you find this resource informative and value any feedback you may have. Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more updates! Feel free t o submit any upcoming events you'd like us to share to dzaleski@philaworks.org .