Attachment H - YARG Interview Protocol for Program Partners

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Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio

Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant Semi-Structured Interview Protocol for Program Partners

Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio

Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grants (YARG)

YARG Partner Discussion Guide

INTRODUCTION 

I am/we are researchers with The Urban Institute/Mathematica/Capital Research Corporation, private research organizations based in Washington, DC/Arlington VA which conduct policy-related research on a variety of social welfare and economic issues. This project is being conducted under contract to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Our visit here today is part of the Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio project, a national study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. The study will learn how apprenticeship programs can help improve the skills and employment outcomes of American workers. A major aim of the study is to learn more about the different models of apprenticeship being implemented. In each grantee we visit, we will be speaking with grant administrators and staff, program partners (including employers), and apprentices. For this discussion, we are focused on activities conducted under the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grants (YARG).

Privacy Statement:  I/we know that you are busy and we will be as focused as possible and will only ask questions that are relevant to your experience. We have many questions and will be talking to many different people, so please do not feel as though we expect you to be able to answer every question. Your participation in this interview is voluntary and you may choose not to answer some or any of our questions. We will do everything we can to secure the privacy of the information you provide, but the technical limitations with Zoom and other internet platforms mean that we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of what is said. Also, we ask that you consider using headphones or finding a private space to talk so that other people cannot hear or see this conversation. We believe the risks of participating in this study are minimal.

We believe there are no direct benefits to you, but we hope that the findings from this study will benefit the Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio project by providing research insights on how apprenticeship programs can benefit workers.

My colleague and I will be taking notes in order to document what we hear during our discussion, and we may record this discussion. We do not share these notes with anyone outside of our research team, including Department of Labor, and we will destroy these notes after the end of our project. When we compile our reports, the names of individual respondents will not be included. If we choose to quote you, you will only be identified by your title. You will not be quoted directly by name in any of our reports. While it is possible that you might be identified by your title, we will do our best to minimize the chance of that occurring.

Finally, to help us accurately capture the information you share, we would like to record this interview. The recording is just a back-up for our notes and will be kept within our small research team. The interview recording will be deleted once we have developed a full set of notes from the interview.

OMB Burden Statement: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is XXXX-XXXX. The time required to complete this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed and complete and review the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-0NEW.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

[If we decide to record the interview] Are you okay with us recording the interview to improve the accuracy of our notes?

Do I have your permission to begin the interview? [BEGIN INTERVIEW IF CONSENT GRANTED]

Note: Document the following information for each respondent:

• Name, title and organization/affiliation

• Role in the grant program and other organization roles

• Length of involvement with the organization and with the program

• Type of organization [Note: If not already known, identify what type of organization this partner is:

• Employer

• Industry/trade association (must represent at least two employers)

• Education or training (RI) provider

• State Apprenticeship Agency

• WIOA service provider

• Other, specify]

1. OVERVIEW OF PARTNER AND THEIR ROLE

1. When did your organization begin working with the [YARG grantee] on youth apprenticeship?

   1. How did you learn about the opportunity to be involved in this effort?

   2. Was your organization included as a partner during the proposal stage? If you were not part of the grant at its start, when did your organization join as a partner?

2. Briefly (we will get into more detail later), what is your organization’s role/scope of work under the grant? [Note: Collect a copy of the subcontract and/or scope of work under the subcontract.]

3. Has your organization received grant funds as a part of its involvement as a partner under the grant (i.e., is this organization a subgrantee/subcontractor)? If so, what is your budget under the grant and, if available, about how much of grant funds have been expended to date?

4. Does your organization’s involvement in the grant include serving as an apprenticeship program sponsor? If so, how many apprenticeship programs does your organization sponsor and for which occupations?

5. Does your involvement in the grant include providing one or more components of an apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program? Probe for:

• Help with recruiting apprentices under the grant (including apprentices/pre-apprentices)

• Providing On-the-job training (OJT)/On-the-Job Learning (OJL)

• Providing Related Technical instruction (RTI)/Related Instruction (RI)

• Awarding credentials

• Providing grant apprentices with supportive services

• Employer engagement/outreach with respect to forming or expanding apprenticeships

• Registering/monitoring of apprenticeship programs

6. Prior to YARG, had your organization partnered or worked with the YARG grantee organization? Please briefly discuss prior partnerships/collaborations.

7. Prior to this grant, what was your organization’s previous experience with apprenticeships and/or pre-apprenticeship, and in particular, apprenticeships targeting youth?

8. Are you involved in other apprenticeship grants or initiatives, particularly ones that target youth? If so, what are they? [Probe for: other DOL apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship grant initiatives (e.g., American Apprenticeship Initiatives, Closing the Skills Gaps, Scaling Apprenticeships, State Apprenticeship Capacity Grants); other DOL training initiatives (e.g., America’s Promise, Ready to Work, Strengthening Working Families Initiative, Tech Hire, TAACCCT grants); and any other apprenticeship initiatives besides DOL investments.]

2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT

1. What geographic area does your organization serve under the grant (e.g., identify specific states, counties or regions served])? In what industry sectors/occupations are you targeting under YARG? [Note: Collect information prior to the visit and verify during interview.]

2. What are the key demographic characteristics of the youth population and other distinguishing features of the geographic area served under the grant?

[Probe for: at-risk youth populations, in-school vs. out-of-school youth, youth traditionally under-represented in apprenticeships]

3. What is the economic environment and context for the area served under the grant, particularly in the industry sectors targeted by YARG?

[Probe for: growth industries, extent to which industries rely on apprenticeship; industries that are most likely to feature apprenticeships/pre-apprenticeships; economic conditions such as job openings in sectors/occupations that are focus of grant]

4. Prior to YARG, to what extent were youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities available in area served generally and in the specific industry sector(s)/occupations targeted under the grant?

5. To what extent is there overlap/linkage between this YARG project and other workforce initiatives in the area served, especially related youth pre-apprenticeships/apprenticeships?

[Probe for: other DOL apprenticeship grant initiatives; other DOL training initiatives (e.g., America’s Promise, Ready to Work, Strengthening Working Families Initiative, Tech Hire, TAACCCT grants); and any other apprenticeship initiatives besides DOL investments]

6. To what extent has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the start-up or implementation of activities that your organization has been involved in under the grant?

   1. Has COVID affected your organization’s partnership with the grantee or other partners under YARG?

   2. Has COVID affected RTI or OJT provided to apprentices/pre-apprentices under the grant?

   3. Do you anticipate any longer term effects of COVID on achieving goals under the grant (e.g., reaching apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship enrollment or placement goals)?

7. Are there any other environmental/external factors that have affected your organization’s ability to partner or achieve goals for your organization under the grant?

[Probe for: in- or out-migration of major employers, major layoffs, base closings, natural disasters]

3. GRANT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND START-UP/IMPLEMENTATION OF YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP ACTIVITIES

1. As a partnering organization, who are the key staff at your organization and what are their roles to support the youth apprenticeship program?

1. Staff position/title and role of staff funded under grant (including whether the individual is full-time devoted to YARG or the percentage of effort dedicated to the grant)

2. Staff position/title of staff not funded by the grant but involved in youth apprenticeship

2. Beside the YARG grantee, what other organizations do you partner with to support the youth apprenticeship program? Please briefly describe these collaborations.

3. Did your organization experience start-up or early implementation issues in the partnership with the YARG grantee (e.g., difficulties hiring staff, problems engaging with the grantee or other partners, lack of employer interest/engagement, lack of potential apprentice interest, or other external/environmental factors)? Please discuss each challenge, including how it affected grant implementation, and if and how the challenges were overcome.

4. How has the partnership/collaboration with the YARG grantee and other partners gone? Has the partnership/collaboration changed over time, and if so, how?

4. TARGET POPULATION AND APPRENTICE RECRUITMENT

1. As a partner involved in the youth apprenticeship program, is your organization involved in recruitment and referrals of apprentices/pre-apprentices? If yes, please describe your role. [Note: if no, skip the remainder of this section of the discussion guide.]

2. What populations and/or subpopulations has your organization targeted for recruitment (for apprenticeships/pre-apprenticeships)? Why have these populations/subpopulations been targeted? [Probe for:

• In-school youth (16-18)

  • CTE students

  • Non-CTE students

  • Students at risk of dropping out

• Out-of-school youth

• Employed youth

• Unemployed youth

• Youth ex-offenders

• Foster youth

• Parenting youth

• Homeless youth

• College students

• First generation

• Youth populations that may traditionally be underrepresented in apprenticeship, including:

  • Women

  • People of color

  • Persons with disabilities

3. As the initiative has progressed, have there been any changes in populations targeted by your organization? If so, what are they? Why?

4. How has your organization marketed apprenticeships to prospective apprentices? If so, how? [Probe for:

• Distribution of flyers, posters or other educational/informational

• Program staff outreach presentations or orientations held in the area served

• Informational websites

• Toll-free informational hotlines

• Outreach campaigns using media (e.g., PSAs, TV, radio, newspaper, ads on buses/bus shelters)

• Social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) – please specify, which types of social media are used and how

• Direct mail campaign

• Word-of-mouth

• Primary partners]

5. Under YARG, has your organization provided referrals of prospective apprentices to the grantee or other YARG partners?

6. Under YARG, has your organization received referrals from other sources/organization? If yes, which organizations have provided the most referrals? [Probe for:

• The YARG grantee or other partners

• Employers

• Professional and industry organizations

• Unions

• Workforce system – American Job Centers, Employment Service, and WIOA

• Local Education Agencies (LEAs), such as the local public school system

• Re-engagement centers (i.e., to link youth that have dropped out of school back to school or other types of training)

• Community colleges and other educational institutions including proprietary schools

• Courts/correctional system/juvenile justice/probation officers

• Faith-based and community-based organizations

• Other public and non-profit human service agencies]

7. How successful has your organization (or your partners you rely upon for referrals) been in recruiting youth apprentices under the grant?

1. Have you been successful in reaching and recruiting your target populations (e.g., in-school, out-of-school youth, special populations targeted)?

2. Have some been easier to reach and recruit than others?

3. Have there been more applicants than the apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs under the grant can serve (e.g., is there a waiting list to get into the program)?

8. Have there been recruitment challenges? If so, what challenges have been encountered and how have they been addressed? [Probe for:

• COVID pandemic

• Have difficulty finding eligible apprentices

• Many who applied have insufficient basic skill levels

• Some applicants are not interested or motivated to participate in apprenticeship

• Apprenticeship period is too lengthy for some applicants

• Some of the outreach strategies haven’t resulted in many applicants

• Partners that were supposed to provided referrals have not provided them in sufficient numbers

• Some applicants have difficulty getting to the program/employer location

• Didn’t have enough resources for recruitment

• Changing economic conditions in the areas has made recruitment more challenging]

9. Has the COVID pandemic impacted apprentice recruitment? If so, how? Has the pandemic led to a suspension of recruitment activities, and if so, when did this begin, and has normal recruitment re-initiated since? [Note: Skip this question if COVID effects have already been discussed.]

10. Overall, what recruitment or referral strategies being used under the grant have been most successful? Do you feel any of these strategies are new, unique, and/or innovative?

5. APPRENTICE ELIGIBILITY/INTAKE AND PARTICIPATION LEVELS UNDER THE GRANT

1. As a partner under the grant, is your organization involved in apprentice eligibility/intake of apprentices/pre-apprentices under the grant? If yes, please describe role. [Note: if no, skip to next section of the discussion guide]

2. What are the eligibility requirements for enrollment for any programs your organization oversees or administers? [Note: Request copies of apprentice eligibility or intake form(s).] [Probe for:

• Complete pre-apprenticeship program (i.e., for apprenticeship program component)

• Be from a specific subpopulation

• Reside within a specific geographic area

• Meet income eligibility requirements

• Meet an age requirement

• Meet education level requirements (e.g. high school diploma, GED/HSED) or basic skill levels]

3. Describe the intake process for these apprenticeship programs? How do apprentices apply to the program and what steps do they take to advance to being an apprentice?

   1. At what point is someone considered an apprentice?

   2. At what point does an apprentice you are serving under the grant become an apprentice?

   3. Does this process vary across apprenticeship programs or is it consistent?

4. What role, if any, do employers play [or you play, if an employer] in the screening and selection process for apprenticeships under the grant, particularly in the case of incumbent workers served under the grant? Please describe this process including (if applicable):

   1. When in the recruitment process does the employer [i.e. you, if an employer] decide to hire the apprentice?

   2. How do employers [i.e., you, if an employer] generally determine whether an applicant is the right fit for an apprenticeship program under the grant?

   3. About what percentage of applicants are rejected (e.g., screened out during the employer interview process)? What are the major reasons employers reject applicants?

   4. What are the main reasons that applicants are screened out or fail to move through the intake process to be considered by employers?

5. Beside employers, are there other organizations that assist in the intake, screening, and enrollment process for apprentices? [Probe for:

• Employers

• Community or technical college

• Labor organization (e.g. union, labor association/labor federation)

• American Job Center

• Nonprofit (e.g., community or faith-based) service/training provider

• Industry association

• Local government agency

• State government agency]

6. During the intake process, are any formal assessment tools/tests used by employers or the grantee/partners (including formal tests such as the TABE, interest inventories, substance abuse screening, or performance in CTE classes)? If yes, please identify these formal assessments. [Note: Request copies of assessment forms, if relevant.]

7. Does your organization, employers, or other partners typically require potential apprentices to provide or undergo any of the following before enrolling in the apprenticeship program?

1. Documentation of ability to legally work in the United States

2. Background check for felonies

3. Background check of misdemeanors

4. Drug screening

5. Physical or other medical exam

6. POLICY CHANGES, PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE AND DATA COLLECTION/USE

1. Has your organization been involved in developing and implementing any policy or procedural changes to support youth apprenticeship expansion? What are they intended to do? Have they worked as intended? How so or not? [Probe for:

• State or local legislation supporting youth apprenticeship

• State or local policy guidance

• Increased state or local government funding for youth apprenticeship

• Enrollment or dual enrollment policy changes at a community college

• Credit or articulation policy changes at a community college (e.g., credit for prior learning)

• Policies/procedures on youth apprentice safety

• Policies/procedures on youth apprentice supervision

• Policies/procedures on equal employment opportunity for apprentices

• Policies on other aspects of youth apprenticeship (e.g., wage progression or employer incentives)]

2. What systems and processes has your organization been involved in implementing or enhancing to help simplify program development and reduce program start-up times and costs for registered apprenticeship programs that serve youth? Have these systems or processes made it easier for employers to deploy the program(s) at scale? Have they been able to promote program consistency and quality? If yes, how so?

3. Has your organization been involved in developing new or enhancing apprenticeship standards for the registered apprenticeship programs implemented under your grant? If yes, for which programs/occupations? Please describe your involvement.

4. Has your organization been involved in developing new or enhancing existing industry- recognized credentials for the apprenticeship programs implemented as a part of the grant? If yes, which ones? Please describe your involvement.

5. Has your organization been involved in developing new or enhancing existing curriculum for the apprenticeship programs supported by the YARG grantee? If yes, which ones? Please describe your involvement.

6. Has your organization been involved in implementing strategies to facilitate industry-wide acceptance of youth apprenticeship? Has your organization been promoting youth apprenticeship? If so, please describe these activities. What have the successes and challenges been?

7. What quality assurance systems for the apprenticeship program has your organization been involved in designing and implementing? Did you build off of existing structures and systems? If yes, how so? How well have they ensured the quality of apprenticeship programs?

8. Did you offer technical assistance to grant partners and/or apprenticeship sponsors? What did this entail? How did they respond to the technical assistance provided? Where they aspects they used more than others? Were there some aspects they didn’t find helpful?

9. What data management systems has your organization been involved in implementing as a part of the youth apprenticeship program or the grant? What metrics and data did grantees and partners use to define and measure success of the apprenticeship program? [Probe if they used others than the required performance measures for the grant.] How have you and your partners used the metrics and data for continuous improvement?

7. SUSTAINABILITY AND LESSONS LEARNED

1. What aspects of your partnership have been most successful? The most challenging? To what extent will the partnership and your activities be sustained?

2. To date, what do you consider to be your most successful strategies implemented under the grant?

3. Which apprenticeship program characteristics or components have appeared most successful? Why so?

4. To date, what do you believe to be the main lessons from your involvement in youth apprenticeship?

5. What innovations and strategies can contribute to efforts to encourage more employers to adopt youth apprenticeships or hire youth as apprentices?

***QUESTIONS FOR DIFFERENT PARTNER TYPES***

Questions below are broken into sections for different types of required partners. Skip to the appropriate section depending on what type of partner they are identified as above.

8. EMPLOYERS

1. Prior to the YARG grant, had your company been involved with apprenticeship? If yes:

   1. For how long have you been involved with apprenticeship?

   2. Do you know when your company first got involved with apprenticeship and why?

2. Prior to the grant, had your company offered an apprenticeship program for its workers or new hires? If yes:

   1. For what occupation or occupations?

   2. Are the apprenticeship program(s) registered (with the federal or state apprenticeship office) or unregistered?

   3. Did your company serve as the sponsor of any (or all) of these apprenticeship programs? If so, for which ones is your company the sponsor? If, not, who has served as the sponsor of record for your program(s)?

   4. In total, about how many apprentices had been enrolled across your apprenticeship programs annually (prior YARG)?

   5. How many of these apprentices were youth?

3. Since partnering with the YARG grantee, has your company created one or more new registered apprenticeship programs? If so:

   1. How many new apprenticeship programs have been created?

   2. Does the program exclusively employ youth, or does it also include adults?

   3. For what occupation or occupations?

   4. Are the apprenticeship program(s) registered with the federal government or with a state apprenticeship office)?

   5. Does your company serve as the sponsor of any (or all) of these apprenticeship programs? If so, for which ones is your company the sponsor? If, not, who has served as the sponsor of record for your program(s)?

   6. In total, about how many apprentices have been enrolled in these new apprenticeship programs to date under the grant in total and by occupation? How many of those apprentices are youth?

4. Under the grant, has your company expanded one or more pre-existing apprenticeship programs? If so:

   1. How many existing apprenticeship programs have been expanded?

   2. Does the program exclusively employ youth, or does it also include adults?

   3. For what occupation or occupations?

   4. Are these (pre-existing) apprenticeship program(s) registered with the federal government or a state apprenticeship office?

   5. Does your company serve as the sponsor of any (or all) of these apprenticeship programs? If so, for which ones is your company the sponsor? If, not, who has served as the sponsor of record for your program(s)?

   6. In total, about how many apprentices have been enrolled to date in these expanded apprenticeship programs under the grant in total and by program? How many of those apprentices are youth?

Note: Questions 6-15 are more general and cut across all of the apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs the company may have expanded under YARG. Question 17 is intended to provide a single apprenticeship program – there may be some overlap of questions if the employer has a single program.

5. How did you decide on the staff to be involved in the apprenticeship you formed or expanded under the grant (e.g., supervisors, mentors, trainers)? How did you prepare staff for these roles? How have you monitored their performance?

6. What was the recruitment process for apprentices, and to what degree is your company involved? Did you recruit youth from your current employees, or did you hire new employees and enroll them in the apprenticeship program(s), or both? Why? Did you receive assistance from the YARG grantee or other partners on recruitment and intake of apprentices? Were they particular qualifications you thought were important?

7. Was your company involved with development of the apprenticeship program(s) and its’ curriculum? Did you receive assistance on apprenticeship program development or curriculum development? If so, what kind of assistance did your receive and from whom?

8. Were you involved in selecting a related instruction (RI) provider for your program(s)? How did you decide on what organization would provide the RI for your apprentices? Did you use curriculum developed through the grant or something else? Do you provide support to apprentices for this training (e.g., tuition costs, time on the clock, use of computer)?

9. Under this grant, have you partnered with any industry/trade associations? If so, what role do they play in relation to you, your program(s), your youth apprentices, and the grantee?

10. Were you provided any financial supports through the grantee or their partners to offset your company’s costs of operating the apprenticeship program? Please describe them. Were they adequate for offsetting your costs?

11. How did you and your company address issues around youth apprentice safety, supervision, or equal employment opportunity? Were there internal policies or practices you had to develop or did your company already have these in place?

12. What has been the response of the youth apprentices to the program(s)? Has it been positive or negative? Please describe. If you have adult apprentices in your program as well, has their response to the program been different from your youth apprentices?

13. What information did you have to track on your youth apprentices? How easy or difficult was it to collect and report this information? Did you receive any assistance to do this? To what degree are you involved in data collection and submission regarding this grant?

14. How satisfied are you and your company with the apprenticeship program(s)? Did it meet your expectations? How so or not?

15. Will your company continue to offer the apprenticeship program(s)? Why or why not?

16. For one of the apprenticeship programs newly formed or expanded, we would like to discuss some key features of that youth apprenticeship program: [Note: If the employer has more than one apprenticeship program, teams should use your discretion as to which programs (e.g., largest, newest, non-traditional industry programs). It may be appropriate to skip some of these questions with the employer if you will cover the same program with a grant sponsor, RTI provider, etc. ]

1. What geographic area is the apprenticeship program serving?

2. What industry sector is the focus of the apprenticeship program?

3. Who is the sponsor of the apprenticeship program (e.g., a group sponsor, employer, union, etc.)?

4. What is the typical recruitment source(s) for the apprenticeship program?

5. What methods are used for recruitment? Are apprentices enrolled in cohorts, and if yes, how often are new cohorts enrolled (e.g., 4 times a year)?

6. Is the apprenticeship program time-based (e.g., completion of specific numbers of hours of training), competency-based or a combination of the two?

   1. If time-based, what is the usual duration of participation in the apprenticeship? Is there variation in how long it takes apprentice to complete the apprenticeship? If yes, what is the range of time (in weeks, months, or years) and why might it vary on a case-by-case basis?

   2. If competency-based, how is it determined that an apprentice has achieved the necessary level of competence to complete the apprenticeship? How long does it take an apprentice typically to reach the necessary level of competence and how much variation is there across apprentices?

7. How many hours of Related-Instruction (RI) (i.e., classroom/web-based) are provided during the apprenticeship component? Over what period of time does RI occur? [Note: The FOA refers to RI, which in the context of apprenticeship programs is sometimes referred to as RTI or related technical instruction.]

   1. What is the typical schedule for an apprentice each week – e.g., 4 hours of formal classroom instruction and 36 hours of work)? Does this schedule change over the course of the apprenticeship?

   2. Where and how is instruction provided (e.g., classroom, web-based, hybrid, laboratory/shop)?

   3. Where is instruction provided (e.g., at a community college, at a union, at an employer site)?

   4. Please provide a brief overview of the instruction provided (e.g., topics covered in classroom instruction). [Note: If applicable, request a syllabus for the coursework or a topic outline for the training.]

8. Is RI and OJL/OJT provided concurrently, is it front-loaded, or does RI and OJL/OJT alternate during the apprenticeship?

   1. While involved in RI, how many hours of work at a job/employer site does an apprentice complete (i.e., each week, month, or year). Does this vary over time and, if so, how? How many total hours of OJL/OJT would an apprentice typically complete over the period of the apprenticeship?

   2. Where do apprentices work (i.e., the employer) and in what types of jobs do apprentices start and progress to during their involvement in the apprenticeship?

   3. Who oversees and provides workplace/on-the-job instruction to the apprentice (i.e., while the apprentice is working)? Please briefly describe the nature of the workplace instruction provided to apprentices.

   4. What is the supervisor-to-apprentice ratio during the apprenticeship period (e.g., 1 supervisor to 3 apprentices)? Does it change over time?

   5. How are mentors for OJT provided to apprentices?

9. How are grant funds expended to support RI efforts? Do expenditures include funding: (1) the development of courses at the secondary level that are integrated into the RAP and local and/or state educational standards; (2) apprentice tuition or other educational fees; and (3) the delivery of instruction requirements (e.g., virtual learning technology, classroom instructors)?

10. Is the apprenticeship training connected to higher education? If so, how? Do apprentices receive post-secondary (college) credits, credentials, or certificates? What are the credits, credentials, and/or certificates? What is the schedule for receipt of these credits, credentials, or certifications?

11. What is the schedule of wages and benefits for apprentices?

    1. What is the starting wage?

    2. What is the ending wage?

    3. On average, how large is the hourly wage increase in dollars: $_____

    4. What milestones trigger increases in hourly wages? (e.g., annual increases, achievement of certain set of competencies, completion of RI/RTI)

12. Do apprentices receive any of the following benefits other than their wages during their apprenticeship program?

    1. Health benefits

    2. Paid sick leave

    3. Paid vacation time

    4. Retirement benefits

    5. Other (Please specify)

13. What is the approximate cost of these benefits, as a percentage of the apprentice’s wage?

14. How much of the apprentice’s hourly wages are employers reimbursed for through grant funding?

15. What is the typical hourly wage of a fully trained and qualified worker in the apprentice’s occupation?

16. For the typical youth apprentice, how productive are they during their first wage step, relative to a fully trained and qualified worker in the apprentice’s occupation? In their second wage step? [Probe for subsequent wage steps and at completion]

17. To what extent are non-training supports provided during the apprenticeship period and what is the source of funding for these supports (e.g., case management, career coaches/navigators counseling, and mentoring)?

18. To what extent are supportive services provided for apprentices, such as transportation assistance, work clothes/equipment, childcare, and needs-based payments? If provided, how are these supportive services structured and paid for? Who provides these services?

19. Do apprentices pay any costs of the RI (e.g., tuition, fees, equipment/books, etc.)?

20. What is the goal (if any) for enrollment in the apprenticeship program under the grant? To date, how many apprentices have been enrolled? To date, how many apprentices have completed their apprenticeships? Has the program experienced attrition – and if yes, why? If available, about what percentage of those enrolled in the program terminate before completion of the apprenticeship?

9. INDUSTRY/TRADE ASSOCIATION

(Note: industry/trade associations are only required partners if the grantee does not partner with two or more employers)

1. As an industry or trade association, what industries do you represent?

   1. How many members do you represent?

   2. What is the composition of your membership? Is it primarily or exclusively companies? What other types of organizations/individuals are included in your membership?

2. Prior to the YARG grant, had your association been involved with apprenticeship? If yes:

   1. For how long have you been involved with apprenticeship? Has this included both youth apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships?

   2. Do you know when your organization first got involved with apprenticeship and why?

3. Prior to the grant, had your organization been involved in employer outreach/recruitment to encourage new formation of or expansion of apprenticeships either with your membership or more broadly? Please discuss.

4. Prior to the grant had your organization served as an apprenticeship program sponsor? If yes:

   1. For what occupation or occupations?

   2. In total, about how many apprentices had been enrolled across apprenticeship program(s) your organization sponsors annually (prior YARG)?

   3. Were any of these apprenticeship programs limited to serving youth 16-24?

5. Does your association receive any YARG funding under the grant? If so, what is your budget and expenditures to date under the grant?

6. Under the grant, has your association been involved in the creation of one or more new youth apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs (i.e., either helping to design/implement/sponsor such programs)? If so:

   1. How many new youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs were created?

   2. For what occupation or occupations?

   3. Are the youth apprenticeship program(s) registered (with the federal or state apprenticeship office) or unregistered?

   4. Does your association serve as the sponsor of any (or all) of these registered youth apprenticeship programs? If so, for which ones is your association the sponsor? If, not, who has served as the sponsor of record for these program(s)?

   5. In total, about how many youth have been enrolled in these new youth apprenticeship programs to date under the grant in total and by program? How many youth have been enrolled in new pre-apprenticeship programs?

7. Under the grant, was your association involved in the expansion of one or more pre-existing youth apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs? If so:

   1. How many existing apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs were expanded?

   2. For what occupation or occupations?

   3. Are these (pre-existing) apprenticeship program(s) registered (with the federal or state apprenticeship office) or unregistered?

   4. Does your association serve as the sponsor of any (or all) of these youth apprenticeship programs? If so, for which ones is your association the sponsor? If, not, who has served as the sponsor of record for these program(s)?

   5. In total, about how many youth have been enrolled in these expanded youth apprenticeship programs to date under the grant in total and by program? How many youth have been enrolled in expanded pre-apprenticeship programs?

8. Under YARG has your association been involved marketing to, recruiting, and/or engaging employers to consider establishing or expanding youth apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship program(s)? If yes:

   1. How many and which staff within your organization is involved in conducting employer engagement? Are any funded under the grant – and if so, how many FTEs?

   2. Is the employer outreach/engagement focused only on your association membership or more widely on other companies/organizations? If more widely, please discuss.

   3. Under the grant, do you have a goal for number of firms engaged/outreached to and/or who eventually establish new or expand existing apprenticeship programs? To date, how many firms have you outreached to and how many have either formed new or expanded existing apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs?

   4. Please briefly discuss how you go about conducting employer outreach and engagement.

   5. What message do you use to employers and what appear to be most effective in encouraging new formation of apprenticeships?

   6. What barriers or challenges have you run into in persuading employers to start up or expand apprenticeships/pre-apprenticeships?

   7. What types of assistance have employers needed to help them in planning and initiating new apprenticeship program?

9. Under the grant, has your association been involved with helping its membership or other companies to design new apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs or curriculum? Please discuss the types of assistance provided.

10. As a partner on this grant, has your association been involved with outreach, recruiting, or referring youth for placement in apprenticeships or pre-apprenticeships?

    1. What outreach/recruitment methods are used?

    2. Are there specific groups of youth you target (e.g., in- or out-of-school youth; those facing barrier to employer, etc.)?

    3. Do you seek referrals from other YARG partners or from other sources?

    4. What approaches seem to be most effective with recruitment of in-school and out-of-school youth?

11. Does your association provide any RI for apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs under this grant? If yes, what role are you serving?

12. Do you provide apprentices or pre-apprentices with any support services under this grant? If yes, what types? If no, do you refer them to any other organizations for these services?

10. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS

1. What type of organization would you be described as?

Probe for potential partner types:

• Local and state education agencies (including high schools and school districts

• Institutions of higher education

• State college coordinating entities, such as a community college system office or a single state educational board

• Community-based organizations that offer job training

2. Have you previously offered educational and training services within the context of apprenticeship programs? If so, what kind of apprenticeship programs were they (probe for: occupation/industry of focus, apprentice characteristics, geographic area, etc.)? If not, why were you interested in becoming involved with apprenticeships?

3. Did you previously have a relationship with the grantee? If so, was it in the capacity of an education and/or training provider? If yes, for what type of program did you provide those services?

4. If not already addressed, were you involved with creating the grant application, program development, or early implementation of grant activities?

5. Does your association receive any YARG funding under the grant? If so, what is your budget and expenditures to date under the grant?

6. What input (if any) did you provide on curriculum and training development for program(s)?

*[NOTE: Ask questions 7 – 9 for each apprenticeship program they are providing RI for under this grant, regardless of whether the institution is a sponsor; if the institution is providing RI for more than 3 occupations, go through this section for only 3 occupations, first covering programs operated in coordination with the employers we are interviewing, and then covering programs with where the most YARG apprentices are enrolled.]*

7. Are you serving as a sponsor for apprenticeship programs under this grant?

8. Please describe the educational instruction and/or training you provide for apprentices enrolled in these apprenticeship programs under the grant.

9. How many hours of RI (i.e., classroom/web-based) are provided in this program? Over what period of time does RI occur? Is any RI delivered before the apprenticeship during a pre-apprenticeship program?

1. What is the typical schedule for a youth apprentice each week? Does this schedule change over the course of the apprenticeship?

2. Where and how is instruction provided (e.g., classroom, web-based, hybrid, laboratory/shop)?

3. Who provides instruction (e.g., at a community college, at a union, at an employer site)?

4. Is RI and OJT provided concurrently, is it front-loaded, or does RI and OJT alternate during the apprenticeship?

5. Please provide a brief overview of the instruction provided (e.g., topics covered in classroom instruction). [Note: If applicable, request a syllabus for the coursework or a topic outline for the training.]

10. How many hours of OJL/OJT occurs at a job/employer site does an apprentice/pre-apprentice complete (i.e., each week, month, or year)? Does this vary over time and, if so, how? How many total hours of OJT would an apprentice/pr-apprentice typically complete over the period of the apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship?

1. Where do apprentices/pre-apprentices work (i.e., the employer) and in what types of tasks do youth apprentices start and progress to during their involvement in the apprenticeship?

2. Who oversees and provides workplace/on-the-job instruction (i.e., while the apprentice is working)? Please briefly describe the nature of the workplace instruction provided.

3. What is the supervisor-to-apprentice ratio during the apprenticeship period (e.g., 1 supervisor to 3 apprentices)? Does it change over time?

4. How are mentors for OJT provided to apprentices?

11. Do you provide youth apprentices any support services under this grant?

12. Do youth apprentices pay any costs of the RTI (e.g., tuition, fees, equipment/books, etc.)?

13. Are there innovative RI methods being used as part of these apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs? Please briefly discuss. [Probe for:

• Accelerated learning modules

• Contextualized learning

• Team teaching

• Self-paced learning

• Competency-based learning

• Prior learning assessments

• Technology-enabled learning, such as use of simulators, on-line teaching/learning

• Integrating basic skills instruction with technical instruction]

14. What aspects, if any, of the apprenticeship RI or services do you think are most innovative? Most effective?

15. Is funding that is allocated to your organization through this grant used for any of the following: (1) the development of courses at the secondary level that are integrated into the RAP and local and/or state educational standards; (2) apprentice tuition or other educational fees; and (3) the delivery of instruction requirements (e.g., virtual learning technology, classroom instructors, etc.)? Is grant funding used to pay for anything that doesn’t fall under these categories?

11. STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY OR OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP REPRESENTATIVE

[Note: Some questions may only apply to states with a federally recognized SAA]

1. What is your agency’s role in fostering and overseeing apprenticeship, and in particular, youth apprenticeships in the state?

2. How many apprenticeship programs are there in the state? How do these apprenticeship breakdown by industry sector and occupation? About how many new apprenticeship programs were registered with your agency each of the last 3 years?

3. Do you keep track of apprenticeships that are: (a) solely enrolling youth ages 16-24; or, (b) that target enrollment on youth into registered apprenticeship programs? If so, about how many new apprenticeship programs were registered with your agency each of the last 3 years? If you do not keep track of youth apprenticeships, is it possible to estimate the number of programs in the state that are either restricted to youth 16-24 or target this age group?

4. With regard to youth apprenticeships or apprenticeships generally, does your agency track the number of youth ages 16-24 enrolled in apprenticeships? If available, could you provide overall numbers of youth enrolled in either youth apprenticeships and/or in apprenticeship programs statewide for each of the past 3 years. If available, could you provide numbers or estimates of youth apprentices by industry sector/occupation?

5. Does your agency receive any YARG funding under the grant? If so, what is your budget and expenditures to date under the grant?

6. Does your agency play any role with regard to pre-apprenticeship programs, such as promoting the expansion of these programs, helping with design, registering or keeping track of such programs in your state, or monitoring such programs? If yes, please discuss the state agency’s involvement.

7. Did your agency’s involvement with the YARG grantee pre-date the YARG grant?

   1. If yes, discuss your earlier agency’s involvement/partnership with the grantee in the years prior to the YARG?

   2. With regard to the development of the grantee’s YARG application, did your agency get involved? If so, how? (e.g., with helping to pull together partnerships, identifying education and training needs in the local economy, etc.?

8. What is your agency’s role with regard to the YARG grant?

   1. Has your agency helped with recruitment of apprentices for grant supported apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs? If so, what recruitment sources are you utilizing, and how many apprentices referred by your agency have been enrolled in apprenticeships under the grant?

   2. Has your agency helped with recruitment of employers to help expand apprenticeship opportunities for youth either under the grant or more broadly? If so, how do you conduct this employer outreach engagement effort?

   3. Has your agency been involved with youth apprenticeship program design for new apprenticeship programs formed under YARG, such as curriculum design or identifying possible RTI providers?

   4. Has your agency assisted with getting new apprenticeship programs formed under YARG through the registration process? If yes, with how many new apprenticeship programs under YARG and what types of help do you provide to facilitate registration?

   5. Has your agency had other types of involvement under YARG? If so, please discuss.

9. Is any data being provided to you by the grantee regarding this grant or apprentice outcomes? If so, is that data then communicated by your agency to the US Office of Apprenticeship?

10. Either when the grant was being designed or as part of the grant, has your agency acted as an intermediary (or facilitator) between the workforce and secondary education system in your state?

12. STATE/LOCAL WIOA/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROVIDER

1. What type of organization are you (e.g. Local Workforce Board)? How long have you been the WIOA services provider of the region?

2. What is the extent of your agency’s role in apprenticeships, and in particular, with youth apprenticeships in the state, region or local area(s) your organization serves?

3. To what extent before the YARG grant were there apprenticeships in the geographic areas you serve that are: (a) solely enroll youth ages 16-24; or, (b) that target enrollment on youth into registered apprenticeship programs? Please discuss.

4. With regard to youth apprenticeships or apprenticeships generally, does your agency track the number of youth ages 16-24 enrolled in apprenticeships in the geographic areas served? If available, could you provide overall numbers of youth enrolled in either youth apprenticeships and/or in apprenticeship programs each of the past 3 years. If available, could you provide numbers or estimates of youth apprentices by industry sector/occupation?

5. Does your organization play any role with regard to pre-apprenticeship programs, such as promoting the expansion of these programs, funding these programs, co-enrolling apprentices of these programs under WIOA, helping with design, registering or keeping track of such programs or monitoring such programs? If yes, please discuss the agency’s involvement with pre-apprenticeships.

6. Did your agency’s involvement with the YARG grantee pre-date the YARG grant?

   1. If yes, discuss your earlier agency’s involvement/partnership with the grantee in the years prior to the YARG?

   2. With regard to the development of the grantee’s YARG application, did your agency get involved? If so, how? (e.g., with helping to pull together partnerships, identifying education and training needs in the local economy, etc.?

7. Does your association receive any YARG funding under the grant? If so, what is your budget and expenditures to date under the grant?

8. What is your agency’s role with regard to the YARG grant?

   1. Has your agency helped with recruitment of apprentices for grant supported apprenticeship programs? If so, what recruitment sources are you utilizing, and how many apprentices referred by your agency have been enrolled in apprenticeships under the grant?

   2. Has your agency helped with recruitment of employers to help expand apprenticeship opportunities for youth either under the grant or more broadly? If so, how do you conduct this employer outreach engagement effort?

   3. Has your agency been involved with youth apprenticeship program design for new apprenticeship programs formed under YARG, such as curriculum design or identifying possible RI providers?

   4. Has your agency helped the grantee to understand and analyze the need for education and training in the local labor market and regional economy?

   5. Has your agency helped the grantee identify targeted industries, occupations, regional clusters, hiring needs, and populations to be served under the grant?

   6. Has your agency provided relevant sources of data, including labor market information and other tools or reports to the grantee during planning?

   7. Has your agency assessed potential apprentices for the grant program?

   8. Has your agency been involved in Identifying and referring candidates for education and training in the grant program?

   9. Has your agency been involved in providing supportive services to apprentices?

   10. Has your agency been involved in connecting and placing apprentices with employers that have registered apprenticeships

9. Is any data being provided to you by the grantee regarding this grant or apprentice outcomes? If so, is that data then communicated by your agency to the state apprenticeship agency or the US Office of Apprenticeship?

10. Do you help with co-enrolling apprentices served by YARG in WIOA? If so, please discuss how this co-enrollment works. Can you provide an estimate of the numbers or percentage of YARG apprentices that are co-enrolled under WIOA? Are they typically co-enrolled under the WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker or Youth programs?

11. What WIOA-related services do you most often provide to apprentices/pre-apprentices?

    1. Do you use WIOA funds to support RI? If yes, about how many YARG apprentices have received such support? How do you determine how much support is provided (e.g., pay for all or a portion of the RTI at a training provider)? Do WIOA funds pay the full cost of RI or only a portion for YARG apprentices? Is there a maximum amount of RI cost reimbursed per YARG apprentice?

12. Does your organization offer WIOA-funded supportive services to apprentices/pre-apprentices? What forms does that most often take (e.g., for transportation, childcare, work clothing and equipment, etc.)? For YARG apprentices is there a maximum per apprentice or per service that is reimbursable?

13. Are you involved with collecting, tracking, and reporting apprentice data to ETA or Office of Apprenticeship?

DISCUSSION GUIDE SUPPLEMENTS – To capture features of Apprenticeship or Pre-Apprenticeship Program

13. KEY FEATURES OF AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FORMED/EXPANDED UNDER THE GRANT– AN EXAMPLE OF A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FUNDED UNDER THE GRANT

[Teams should focus on the one programs selected to discuss with grantee organization. Walk through the set of questions below for the programs you are discussing in detail during the visit. The team may have skipped some of these questions with the grant staff if they did not know and need to cover them at the employer (and/or sponsor) or training site where the apprenticeship training is being provided.]

1. What geographic area is the apprenticeship program serving?

2. What occupations or industry sector is the focus of the apprenticeship program?

3. Who is the sponsor of the apprenticeship program (e.g., a group sponsor, employer, union, etc.)?

   1. If the apprenticeship program is a group program, how many employers have signed on to the group apprenticeship standards?

4. Is the recruitment and intake process for this program substantially different from what you described above? If so:

1. What is the typical recruitment source(s) for the apprenticeship program? What methods are used for recruitment? Are apprentices enrolled in cohorts, and if yes, how often are new cohorts enrolled (e.g., 4 times a year)?

2. Is the program targeted on incumbent workers? Please discuss (e.g., types of incumbent workers that are targeted and from which employers).

3. Are there any other types of targeting of special populations? Please identify specific subgroup populations targeted. What strategies are used to recruit them?

4. What is the eligibility criteria used in selecting apprentices for the apprenticeship program? Please also briefly discuss the assessment and intake process.

5. Is the apprenticeship program time-based (e.g., completion of specific numbers of hours of training), competency-based or a combination of the two?

1. If time-based, what is the usual duration of participation in the apprenticeship?

2. If competency-based, how is it determined that an apprentice has achieved the necessary level of competence to complete the apprenticeship? How long does it take an apprentice typically to reach the necessary level of competence and how much variation is there across apprentices?

6. How many hours of RI (i.e., classroom/web-based) are provided in this program? Over what period of time does RI occur?

1. What is the typical schedule for an apprentice each week? Does this schedule change over the course of the apprenticeship?

2. Where and how is instruction provided (e.g., classroom, web-based, hybrid, laboratory/shop)?

3. Who provides instruction (e.g., at a community college, at a union, at an employer site)?

4. Is RI and OJT provided concurrently, is it front-loaded, or does RI and OJT alternate during the apprenticeship?

5. Please provide a brief overview of the instruction provided (e.g., topics covered in classroom instruction). [Note: If applicable, request a syllabus for the coursework or a topic outline for the training.]

7. Are there innovative RI methods being used as part of the apprenticeship program? Please briefly discuss. [Probe for:

• Accelerated learning modules

• Contextualized learning

• Team teaching

• Self-paced learning

• Competency-based learning

• Prior learning assessments

• Technology-enabled learning, such as use of simulators, on-line teaching/learning

• Integrating basic skills instruction with technical instruction]

8. How many hours of OJL/OJT occurs at a job/employer site does an apprentice complete (i.e., each week, month, or year). Does this vary over time and, if so, how? How many total hours of OJT would an apprentice typically complete over the period of the apprenticeship?

   1. Where do apprentices work (i.e., the employer) and in what types of tasks do apprentices start and progress to during their involvement in the apprenticeship?

   2. Who oversees and provides workplace/on-the-job instruction to the apprentice (i.e., while the apprentice is working)? Please briefly describe the nature of the workplace instruction provided to apprentices.

   3. What is the supervisor-to-apprentice ratio during the apprenticeship period (e.g., 1 supervisor to 3 apprentices)? Does it change over time?

   4. How are mentors for OJT provided to apprentices?

9. What aspects, if any, of the apprenticeship RI or services do you think are most innovative? Effective?

10. Is the apprenticeship training connected to higher education? If so, how? Do apprentices receive post-secondary (college) credits, credentials, or certificates? What are the credits, credentials, and/or certificates? What is the schedule for receipt of these credits, credentials, or certifications?

11. What is the schedule of wages and benefits for apprentices?

    1. What is the starting wage?

    2. What is the ending wage?

    3. On average, how large is the hourly wage increase in dollars: $_____

    4. What milestones trigger increases in hourly wages? (e.g., annual increases, achievement of certain set of competencies, completion of RI)

12. Do apprentices receive any of the following benefits other than their wages during their apprenticeship program?

1. Health benefits

2. Paid sick leave

3. Paid vacation time

4. Retirement benefits

5. Other (Please specify)

13. To what extent are non-training supports provided during the apprenticeship period and what is the source of funding for these supports (e.g., case management, career coaches/navigators counseling, and mentoring)?

14. Are there additional supports or other strategies used to help apprentices from underserved populations successfully complete the program? If so, please describe.

15. To what extent are supportive services provided for apprentices, such as transportation assistance, work clothes/equipment, childcare, and needs-based payments? If provided, how are these supportive services structured and paid for? Who provides these services?

16. Do apprentices pay any costs of the RI (e.g., tuition, fees, equipment/books, etc.)?

17. What is the goal (if any) for enrollment in the apprenticeship program under the grant? To date, how many apprentices have been enrolled? To date, how many apprentices have completed their apprenticeships? Has the program experienced attrition – and if yes, why? If available, about what percentage of those enrolled in the program terminate before completion of the apprenticeship?

14. PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FORMED/EXPANDED UNDER THE GRANT

[Teams should focus on the one pre-apprenticeship program selected to discuss with grantee organization. Walk through the set of questions below for the programs you are discussing in detail during the visit. The team may have skipped some of these questions with the grant staff if they did not know and need to cover them at the employer (and/or sponsor) or training site where the apprenticeship training is being provided.]

1. Who is overseeing the pre-apprenticeship program(s) (e.g., the grantee, a partner, an employer, etc.)?

2. What are the recruitment sources for the pre-apprenticeship program? What methods are used for recruitment? Are pre-apprentices enrolled in cohorts, and if yes, how large are the cohorts and how frequently are new cohorts of pre-apprentices enrolled (e.g., four times a year)?

3. How is the pre-apprenticeship program marketed to prospective apprentices? [Probe for:

• Distribution of flyers, posters

• program staff outreach presentations or orientations held in the area served

• Informational websites

• Toll-free informational hotlines

• Outreach campaigns using media (e.g., PSAs, TV, radio, newspaper, ads on buses/bus shelters)

• Social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) – please specify, which types of social media are used and how

• Word-of-mouth

• Primary partners]

4. Are the pre-apprenticeship program(s) targeting any specific populations? Why have these populations/subpopulations been selected? [Probe for:

• Incumbent workers

• Workers currently employed (but not at apprenticeship sponsor)

• New entrants to the labor force

• Unemployed, underemployed, long-term unemployed

• Public workforce system clients

• College students

• High school students

• Populations that may traditionally be underrepresented in apprenticeship, including:

• Veterans

• Military spouses

• Transitioning service members

• Women

• People of color

• People with disabilities

• People previously involved in the justice system]

5. Has the pre-apprenticeship program encountered challenges in recruiting apprentices and if so, what types of challenges? How have challenges been addressed/overcome?

6. What is the eligibility criteria used in selecting apprentices for the pre-apprenticeship program? Please also briefly discuss the assessment and intake process.

7. What is the usual duration of participation in the pre-apprenticeship program?

1. How many hours of instruction (i.e., classroom/web-based) are provided during the pre-apprenticeship program? Over what period of time does instruction occur? What is the typical schedule for a pre-apprentice each week? Does this schedule change over the course of the pre-apprenticeship?

2. Where is instruction provided (e.g., at a community college? How is instruction provided (e.g., classroom, web-based, hybrid, laboratory/shop)?

3. Are there innovative methods being used as part of the pre-apprenticeship initiative? Please briefly discuss. [Probe for:

• Accelerated learning modules

• Contextualized learning

• Self-paced learning

• Competency-based learning

• Prior learning assessments/credit for prior learning

• Technology-enabled learning, such as use of simulators, on-line teaching/learning

• Integrating basic skills instruction with technical instruction]

8. Is there a work-based learning opportunity provided as part of the pre-apprenticeship program? If yes:

1. How many hours of work-based learning do pre-apprentices complete?

2. Where do pre-apprentices work and in what types of jobs?

9. What credentials do pre-apprenticeship apprentices earn from this pre-apprenticeship program?

10. Do pre-apprentices receive credit in their apprenticeship programs for time in the pre-apprenticeship program?

11. To what extent are non-training supports provided during the pre-apprenticeship period (e.g., case management, career coaches/navigators counseling, and mentoring)?

12. To what extent are supportive services provided during the pre-apprenticeship period, such as transportation assistance, work clothes/equipment, childcare, and needs-based payments? If provided, how are these supportive services structured and paid for? Who provides these services?

13. What, if any, post-completion services are provided to apprentices of the pre-apprenticeship program(s)? [Probe for:

• Referral to apprenticeship programs

• Referral to other education or training programs

• Help with paying for certification exams or obtaining credentialing

• Job search or placement assistance

• Job retention services

• Provision or referral to supportive services]

CHECKLIST OF ITEMS TO COLLECT FROM SITE (IF AVAILABLE)

• Background information about the partnering organization

• Additional documentation detailing key apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship program components (e.g., RTI, on-the-job training or mentoring)

• Evaluation reports that may have been prepared on the program

• Blank set of intake forms

• Diagram showing how apprentices flow through the program

• Organizational chart for the program

• Apprentice recruitment materials

• Employer recruitment material