Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1 of 11
QUESTIONS ON MAP COMMUNITY COLLEGE REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA) AND MCCB RESPONSES
1. Business Engagement a. Why would a company want to implement an RA program? • RA presents another strategy for companies seeking to develop a skilled workforce. • Employers who are "feeling the pain" of finding the right talent might wish to utilize RA as a "grow
your own talent" strategy. • RA can be used in a complementary manner with other business talent development strategies,
including current "buy" (hire workers with the required skills) and "borrow" (engage contract workers with the required skills) efforts.
• Work requirements for many occupations can be learned through apprenticeship, especially those that require practical, hands-‐on skills.
• Studies of Registered Apprenticeship programs note that RA helps companies develop a more stable and reliable talent pipeline, reduce recruitment and turnover costs, increase productivity, facilitate valuable knowledge transfer between employees, and enhance employee loyalty.
b. What incentives does MAP have to support business engagement? • Unlike some other states (e.g. South Carolina, Alabama), Mississippi does not currently have a tax
credit for companies that are interested in Registered Apprenticeship. • Instead, the incentives and supports we have are non-‐monetary, but still provide value:
o Assistance in the business registration process o Connections to the Workforce Development Boards and the WIOA-‐funded services (On the
Job Training, Individual Training Accounts, support services) they provide, which are under-‐utilized by Registered Apprenticeship programs
o Apprenticeship referral network to build a qualified pool of candidates that the employer might consider when hiring an apprentice
o Having community colleges serve as RA sponsors for companies that do not want to take on these administrative functions
o Providing opportunities for apprentice credit and credential attainment, which enhances the apprentice’s skills and qualifications
o Access to additional supportive services for apprentices served by the community colleges o Capacity-‐building and technical assistance support to help companies implement RA
programs more effectively, so that more apprentices complete these programs c. In what ways might the RA Business Specialist work to engage local employers? • The RA Business Specialist will work as part of a team with the MAP Apprenticeship Business
Coordinator (Dee Polk) and the MAP Program Manager (Josh Bower) along with the Office of Apprenticeship staff when needed, to engage companies in their district and register them to implement a Registered Apprenticeship.
2 of 11
• A structured outreach and recruitment process has been outlined. However, the expectation is that the Business Specialist will help to identify businesses on their Board of Trustees, on their Program Advisory Committees, those to whom they provide customized workforce training, and those who hire their students. The Business Specialist will then work to engage these companies to inform them about the benefits of RA and explore whether they would be interested in implementing a program within their own company.
• Some direct "knocking on the doors" of companies with which the college does not currently have a relationship might also be required.
d. Does the RA Business Specialist have to be a full-‐time staff person? • No. We anticipate the responsibilities of the RA Business Specialist will take 25 to 50% FTE. If the
Business Specialist will also serve as the person who oversees the administrative functions for the college as the RA Sponsor, then more time may be required.
• One key requirement is that this individual has strong experience and expertise in engaging with companies around their workforce development needs.
• It is the college's decision whether it wants to utilize some portion of an existing staff person's time, to hire a new part-‐time or full-‐time staff person, or to engage a contractor.
e. What if the Business Specialist can't persuade 10-‐15 advanced manufacturing and/or automotive
companies in our district to implement a RA program? • The performance targets for the colleges (10-‐15 RA companies, with 1-‐2 apprentices each and 5-‐10
pre-‐apprentices) are calculated to help us reach the overall MAP performance goals outlined in our proposal to the US Department of Labor. While 110 new apprentices is a modest number compared to many states, it's a stretch goal for our state given our current level of engagement around RA.
• We expect the selected colleges to actively work to reach these targets, and will be working hand-‐in-‐hand with the colleges to pursue these goals.
• We do recognize, however, that some companies might immediately embrace the RA opportunity, others may take a longer period of time to come on board, and still others might not be interested at all.
• We expect, therefore, that colleges are making their best, good faith effort to engage and register their local companies, while recognizing that it is ultimately a company decision about whether they want to participate in MAP and implement a Registered Apprenticeship.
f. Is Automotive Service and Repair included in the Automotive sector? • Yes. The Automotive sector includes automotive manufacturing (which is really a subsector of
advanced manufacturing) as well automotive service and repair. • Several versions of automotive service technicians are included in the DOL List of Occupations
Officially Recognized as Apprenticeable. See https://www.doleta.gov/OA/bul16/Bulletin_2016-‐28_Attachment1.pdf.
g. Is Diesel Service and Repair included in the Automotive sector? • Yes. There are overlapping skills between the automotive service and repair and diesel service and
repair occupations. Therefore, companies providing diesel service and repair services can be included in MAP.
h. Can we engage employers in additional sectors? • No, not at this time.
3 of 11
• MAP selected the advanced manufacturing and automotive sectors because labor market analysis conducted by the MS Department of Employment Security indicated that this is where the growth is projected across the state. So, we are working to engage companies in these sectors in Registered Apprenticeship.
• Over time, we plan to include other industry sectors, especially if we receive continuation funding. 2. Community College Engagement in MAP a. Why would a community college want to participate in a RA program? • Registered Apprenticeship is another strategy to help a community college implement its mission of
responding to the needs of local companies and helping to prepare students who are skilled and ready to work.
• Only a few MS community colleges have participated in RA programs to date. MAP presents an opportunity to expand this participation and position community colleges as valuable partners in the implementation of this workforce development strategy.
b. What are the functions of an RA sponsor? • The selected community colleges will become RA Sponsors as an incentive to encourage business
participation in RA for companies that don't want to manage the administrative functions of RA. • The functions of the RA Sponsor are noted in federal codes 29 CFR 29 and 29 CFR 30, which guide
the development and implementation of RA programs. • Community college RA sponsors will work in close collaboration with employers to implement the
following functions: o Identify the apprenticeable occupation for which skilled workers are needed. o Identify the skills standards required for the apprenticeable occupation. o Develop a written plan outlining the terms and conditions of employment, training, and
supervision of one or more apprentices in the apprenticeable occupation. o Identify apprentices from diverse populations that meet the defined qualifications for
participation in the Registered Apprenticeship. o Organize apprentice work schedules to facilitate participation in Related Technical
Instruction (classroom instruction). o Market and promote the Registered Apprenticeship. o Report information on the progress and success of apprentices.
c. What do we mean by curriculum alignment? • By curriculum alignment, we mean that the selected community colleges will seek to align their CTE
and Workforce Education program offerings as much as possible with the Related Technical Instruction (classroom instruction) to be implemented by the RA program. This is another opportunity to market the educational services of the college as an important asset for local companies.
• Colleges can utilize their current curricula, but may also need to be flexible to respond to the customized needs of the RA companies.
• If the employer is interested, a community college can provide RTI, regardless of whether it is a RA sponsor.
• In addition, there is no requirement that community colleges provide all of the RTI needed by a company.
4 of 11
• However, businesses may also choose to provide their own RTI, or to utilize another RTI partner (e.g. a for profit school or contract trainer).
d. Why is a College Implementation Team (CIT) needed? • Implementing Registered Apprenticeship through MAP may "touch" multiple functions and
programs within the college, including business engagement, work-‐based learning, CTE programs of study, Workforce education, MIBEST, Adult Education, Admissions, Financial Aid, and student support services.
• A CIT helps to keep everyone informed about what the college is trying to do with the Registered Apprenticeship and how this work is being done.
• A CIT allows various college stakeholders to be proactive in helping to address any challenges because everyone is informed and engaged in the process from the beginning.
• Other community colleges across the country serving as RA sponsors have found having a CIT very helpful in implementing their Registered Apprenticeship program.
e. What are the staff roles that are expected under this grant (as distinct from the staff positions)? • Several staff roles were identified in the RFA. (See below.) • However, the college has flexibility in determining what staff positions within their college will
implement these roles or functions, utilizing existing and new staff. • For example, here are the roles and the staff that might be involved in helping to implement them:
o Providing business outreach and support (RA Business Specialist) o Implementing the functions of an RA sponsor (RA Business Specialist) o Providing oversight of MAP at the college (CTE Dean) o Supporting curriculum alignment (CTE Dean and/or faculty) o Recruiting and referring potential participants (MIBEST Student Navigator) o Providing supportive services (including connecting participants to Admissions and Financial
Aid, as needed) (MIBEST Student Navigator) o Implementing MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship Model (MIBEST Student Navigator, others)
f. What is expected of the colleges in terms of dissemination strategies? Will these be regional,
situated at their campuses, or part of a general state strategy? • Selected colleges will likely be asked to participate in a combination of campus-‐based, regional, and
statewide dissemination activities related to MAP. • For example, many colleges implementing RA as a community college sponsor have found it helpful
to add a page to their website about Registered Apprenticeship that speaks to business partners and students. In addition, colleges can use existing community college mechanisms to share about the successes of RA for local companies and their students.
• At the regional level, the RA Business Specialist and the MIBEST Student Navigator will likely participate in regional activities (e.g. business luncheons, job fairs) focused on helping to spread the word about the value of Registered Apprenticeship to businesses and potential participants.
• College staff will likely be drawn into state level activities as the broader MAP marketing and promotions plan is rolled out.
5 of 11
3. Participant Engagement and Support a. Why is being a current resident of MS required? • Some public and private resources that might be utilized in support of MAP apprentices or pre-‐
apprentices require MS residency (e.g. WIOA-‐funded Individual Training Accounts and dislocated worker services; also MIBEST resources for supportive services).
b. What is the diversity of current apprentices who are enrolled in RA programs in MS? • According to baseline information provided by the US Department of Labor, as of June 30, 2016, the
nearly 2000 apprentices in the state of MS were: o 12% female o 40% minorities o 11% veterans o 30% youth o 0% individuals with disabilities
c. How many apprentices is the college expected to engage? • As outlined in the performance goals, selected community colleges are expected to help register at
least 1-‐2 apprentices for the 10-‐15 companies in their districts that register to implement an RA program. In addition, colleges will engage at least 5-‐10 pre-‐apprentices.
• Using these goals, colleges would engage 10-‐30 apprentices and 5-‐10 pre-‐apprentices. • However, the level of engagement might vary for these apprentices. In some instances, the college
just might help a company recruit an apprentice. • In other instances the college might enroll the apprentice into courses and provide supportive
services as needed while the student is in RTI. • Students engaged in programs in which the college is the RA sponsor, and those involved in the pre-‐
apprenticeship program, will likely receive the most intensive and sustained support to facilitate RA program completion.
d. How long is the college expected to engage with each participant? • This depends on how the college is engaging the participant. • If it's just to support selection of apprentices by a company, then the engagement ends when the
apprentice is registered in an RA program or alternate employment or workforce development activity.
• Similarly, the college would engage with pre-‐apprentices through the end of their program and their selection into an RA program or other employment opportunity.
• If it's just for the RTI (classroom instruction), then the college engages with the participant until the RTI component has been completed.
• If the college is the RA sponsor, then they will engage with the participant until they have completed their RA program.
• Other colleges across the country serving as RA sponsors have found it helpful to establish a specific frequency in which they meet with students (e.g. 2-‐3 times a year) and have included this as part of the performance goals in their contracts with the apprentices.
e. Why are we engaging the Student Navigators for recruitment and apprentice support? • In designing MAP, we tried to identify staff that each college would have that could fill this
participant outreach and support role.
6 of 11
• Recognizing that resources would be limited, the MIBEST Student Navigators seemed to be a good fit. They have demonstrated success in reaching out to participants in need of educational and economic opportunity and have already developed strong recruitment and support networks engaging both internal college and external community partners.
f. What percentage of time is a college expected to engage the MIBEST Student Navigator in MAP? • This is not yet clear. • We anticipate that there will be some more intensive periods of time when the Student Navigators
are helping with the Registered Apprenticeship selection process with a particular company in their district.
• In addition, the Student Navigators will have a role in recruiting and supporting the pre-‐apprentices, as they complete their programs and seek to move into Registered Apprenticeship.
• However, the specific number of apprentices to be served by the Student Navigators, and the time allocated to these apprentices, will be determined by the number of companies that want to partner with the community college in Registered Apprenticeship and the specific needs of the apprentices selected.
g. Does the recruitment and support services component have to be provided by the MIBEST
Student Navigator? • Engaging diverse populations and the provision of intrusive counseling and supportive services are
essential to the diversity, retention, and completion outcomes we are pursuing under MAP. Selected college grantees must provide these components.
• However, the college can make the case that these services can be offered by another college staff person, if the MIBEST Student Navigator currently has too heavy a caseload. If a college chooses to make this case, please provide additional information on why the selected staff person has the qualifications, experience, and time to serve in this role.
h. What does the recruitment and referral "hub" look like? How will the Registered Apprentice
Business Specialist work with the Student Navigator to support potential apprentice referrals? • The specific process for outreach and referral of potential apprentices will be co-‐designed with the
selected colleges, and will include strong engagement of and input from the companies for whom we are helping to select apprentices.
• Nonetheless, we anticipate that the RA Business Specialist and the Apprenticeship Business Coordinator will work with the company to identify the entry criteria that will be used to select the apprentice.
• The MIBEST Student Navigator will communicate this information to its Referral Network, which will refer potential candidates based on these criteria.
• The MIBEST Student Navigator may conduct additional screening to ensure that the candidates fully meet the selection criteria and are the strongest candidates to recommend.
• The MIBEST Navigator or RA Business Specialist will then forward these potential apprentice candidates to the company representative (which might be the mentor or HR person or whoever the company designates) for consideration in its hiring process, along with other candidates that the company identifies through its regular HR recruiting process.
• To help us test out the value of the MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship Model, we will ask each business partner to at least interview eligible pre-‐apprenticeship program graduates. However, the company will, of course, select from the various sources the candidates they feel best qualified to be hired for the position, based on the identified criteria.
7 of 11
i. Who will pay for supportive services for the apprentice, if needed? • This depends on the needs of the apprentice and the resources available. • The company will likely cover some support services items, such as protective equipment like hard
hats, since the apprentice is an employee. • As required by DOL, we will also determine what resources are available through the public
workforce system for apprentices that are eligible for WIOA-‐funded services or other programs. • The MIBEST Student Navigator will help to identify support services from internal and external
sources that can assist in meeting the needs of the apprentice. • In some limited instances, colleges may also be able to use their MIBEST support service resources
to address the needs of pre-‐apprentices who meet the MIBEST eligibility profile. • There may also be other limited funds available to address emergency support service needs.
j. Will the colleges need to offer support services to all apprentices engaged in an RA program? • No. The focus will be on those apprentices for whom the college is providing RTI and/or who are
involved in an RA program sponsored by the college. • Support services will also be provided to pre-‐apprentices in the MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship program. • Colleges will help other apprentices/pre-‐apprentices access support services through the public
workforce system, but will not have to provide these services themselves. k. Will MAP participants served by MIBEST Student Navigators count toward the MIBEST program's
outcomes goals, even if they do not meet the eligibility criteria for MIBEST students? • No. However, participants that do fit the MIBEST eligibility profile, such as some of the pre-‐
apprentices, will count toward the MIBEST outcome goals in terms of the number of students who complete the program and enter employment.
l. How was the target for the number of apprentices (110) in the first 18 months derived? • The DOL State Apprenticeship Expansion grant RFP required that all grantees increase the number of
apprentices from their current baseline by at least 5%. • To be competitive, the MAP planning team decided to shoot for 6% (110 apprentices) in the first 18-‐
month period. 4. MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship Model a. What does the MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship Model look like? • The MAP Pre-‐Apprenticeship Model will build on the foundation of the MIBEST initiative. It will be
co-‐designed with the selected colleges and other MAP partners (e.g. Women in Construction program), with strong input and engagement from the RA business partners.
• However, we can already anticipate several adaptations to MIBEST that will be required: o Higher entrance requirements o Engagement of more students with a high school credential o Expedited attainment of the HSE o Required enrollment of women interested in non-‐traditional pathways o Career counseling focused on RA as the next step o RA-‐employer endorsed employability skills training o Curriculum design to support integrated and contextualized instruction aligned with the
RTI/industry standards
8 of 11
o Stronger focus on higher-‐level math skills o Perhaps some degree of hands-‐on training, if needed
b. How quickly will pre-‐apprentices need to get their High School Equivalency? • We have yet to flesh this out. However, we anticipate that pre-‐apprentices will need to be able to
obtain their High School Equivalency within one semester. • Pre-‐apprentices will likely need to enter the pre-‐apprenticeship program having fairly high TABE
scores or having already passed at least a couple sections of their HSE exam (whether GED, HiSET, or TASC).
c. Can existing internship programs serve as a pre-‐apprenticeship program? • No, not as part of the MAP Pre-‐apprenticeship Model. We are working to develop a standardized
pre-‐apprenticeship approach that is endorsed by the MAP RA business partners. • Once this model has been developed and piloted, we can then determine how existing programs fit
within the model or may need to be tweaked to conform to it. • However, students that complete an internship program might be considered as a potential
apprentice candidate, if they meet the other criteria for entry. 5. Partnership Development a. What is the expected relationship with the Workforce Development Board/WIN Job Center? • At the state level, we have been working closely with the MS Department of Employment Security,
which is the lead agency for the MAP grant from DOL, and they selected MCCB as the implementation partner in this effort.
• MDES has also been engaging the leadership of the four Workforce Development Boards so that they are aware of MAP and will hopefully be prepared to partner with us as we move into implementation.
• Registered Apprenticeship is part of the combined state plan, so we anticipate there will be a strong interest in collaboration at the regional level as well.
• We envision that the college will engage with the local Workforce Development Board/WIN Job Center (WJC) in the following ways:
o In the business outreach and education process, the MAP Apprenticeship Business Coordinator and the RA Business Specialists at the college will check in with the business outreach staff at the Workforce Development Board/WJC to see if they have any recommendations for companies they have been working with that might be interested in RA.
o Once a company has registered to sponsor an RA program, or participate in one in which the college is the sponsor, the RA Business Specialist will help connect the company to the Workforce Development Board/WIN Job Center so that the company can apply to be on the Eligible Training Providers List.
o The RA Business Specialist will also work with the Workforce Development Board/WJC to help the company understand any other resources that are available to support the implementation of the RA program.
o During the apprentice selection process, the MIBEST Student Navigator will work with the intake or case management staff at the Board/WJC as part of the Referral Network. (The company will likely have been required to sign up for the job bank service offered by the
9 of 11
Board/MDES, so the Apprenticeship position will likely have already been posted on the online job search system.
o Once the apprentice has been selected, the MIBEST Student Navigator will work with the intake or case management staff at the Board/WJC to determine if the apprentice is eligible for WIOA-‐funded support services or other resources available through the Board/WJC.
6. Proposal Budget a. What can the MAP funds be spent on? • Use of Funds:
o Personnel o Fringe Benefits o Travel o Supplies o Contractual o Indirect Costs (up to 5% or no more than $3,750)
• Funding Restrictions: o No direct payment of participant wages o No supplanting existing local, state, or federal funds o Budget requests must be allowable, reasonable, and allocable to the MAP grant
b. Can we contract with trainer under “Contractual”? • Yes. As long as the trainer is directly related to the implementation of Registered Apprenticeship
programs, engaging one as a consultant is allowed. c. Can the Workforce Enhancement Trust (WET) Fund internship dollars be used for apprenticeship? • No. Since internships and apprenticeships are both examples of work-‐based learning, some may
think of them as being interchangeable, but they are not. • The WET internship funds are to be used to provide a work experience opportunity for community
colleges. • This is different from supporting an already hired employee who is seeking to build his/her technical
skills while on the job. 7. MCCB Support for MAP a. How is MCCB building statewide capacity to support RA? • MCCB is building statewide capacity to support RA by:
o Engaging multiple state and regional partners who can support RA expansion o Hiring an Apprenticeship Business Coordinator to strengthen state capacity around business
outreach for RA o Planning and implementing statewide activities to support business engagement o Supporting the engagement of community colleges as RA sponsors as an incentive to
business participation o Launching a marketing and promotions campaign to support business and participant
engagement o Developing capacity-‐building activities to strengthen the development and effectiveness of
RA programs
10 of 11
o Documenting and disseminating the success of RA programs b. When will the Apprenticeship Academy sessions be held? • The first Apprenticeship Academy will be held in conjunction with the MAP Implementation Meeting
on May 24-‐25, 2017. • The next face-‐to-‐face Apprenticeship Academy will be held in mid-‐November during National
Apprenticeship week. • Another face-‐to-‐face meeting will likely be held in Spring 2018. • At least two virtual Apprenticeship Academy sessions will be held throughout the year. c. What does the data collection and reporting process look like? • Reporting occurs on a quarterly basis, as required by the US Department of Labor. • The particular process for reporting is still being finalized. • Data will be collected from multiple partners, including the companies, the colleges, the Workforce
Development Boards/WIN Job Centers, and other partners. • What the colleges will need to report will depend on the college's level of engagement with the
Registered Apprenticeship program. • The RA Business Specialist will have to report on efforts to engage companies in their districts to
inform our reports to the Department of Labor. • The MIBEST Student Navigator will report on the outreach and recruitment process and the progress
and success of the participants they are supporting. • Colleges will also likely need to share information about completion of any Related Technical
Instruction they are offering. • If the college is an RA sponsor, additional reporting elements will likely be required. • Workforce Development Boards/WIN Job Centers will need to share about any WIOA-‐funded
services that are being leveraged for the companies and/or the apprentices. • Companies will need to share about the progress of their apprentices and about program
implementation. • We will be working with NSPARC to develop a customized RA reporting module for MAP to facilitate
reporting from multiple partners. d. What kind of independent evaluation will be conducted? • During the Orientation webinar for the 37 State Apprenticeship Expansion grantees, the Department
of Labor representatives mentioned that they were thinking of doing an implementation analysis across all 37 initiatives.
• Unfortunately, we have not received any additional information yet. • We hope to learn more about the requirements of the evaluation from DOL in the near future. e. What additional information can you tell us about the May 24-‐25th Implementation Meeting and Apprenticeship Academy? • The meeting will be conducted for the better part of two days, so please continue to hold both days. • At the very least, selected colleges should send teams that include the person who will oversee MAP
at the college, the person designated as their Registered Apprenticeship Business Specialist (or other business outreach staff, if the RABS is not hired), the CTE Dean and WF Director, the MIBEST Student Navigator (or other staff that will provide supportive services), and the college's grants manager or someone from the business office.
• Selected colleges will receive more information when they are notified of their selection.
11 of 11
8. Ongoing Funding for MAP a. What's the next step in getting more funding for MAP? • The next step in securing additional funding is demonstrating success in Registered Apprenticeship
with the funding that we have. • We believe that MAP is a concept that DOL and other funders would likely continue to support, but
we must move from concept to results. • Towards this end, we are aggressively working towards the performance goals we have set in MAP,
and are seeking college partners to join us in this effort. • We are also keeping our eyes open for additional funding opportunities while we are in the early
stages of implementation. b. What do we know about DOL's intentions around continuation funding for the expansion grants? • We are not certain where continued funding for Registered Apprenticeship will land in the
Congressional budget conversations, though these programs have received strong bi-‐partisan support in the past.
• We learned during the State Apprenticeship Expansion Grantee conference on May 3rd that there will likely be a round of continuation funding for the next 18-‐month period.
• We are also encouraged by President Trump’s endorsement of a "moonshot" goal of 5 million Registered Apprenticeships across the country in five years. We are hopeful that the Administration will put some plans and resources behind this goal. We look forward to learning more about this in the coming months.
c. If there are less than five (5) colleges, what is the funding level that the selected colleges will likely receive? • We cannot answer this question at this time. • We will need to first see how many fundable proposals are received, and then determine any
contingency plans MCCB will need to make to ensure that the scope of work that is outlined in our MAP proposal can be effectively implemented.
• Selected colleges will be informed of any changes in the funding amount when they are notified of selection.
