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Video Transcript - Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program (MATP)

Learn how to start your own registered apprenticeship program and how registered apprenticeship can benefit your company - watch this 12 minute video with expert Apprenticeship Navigator Andre Keyser!

Slide 1
Hello! And, welcome to this recorded information session, where I will be discussing the Registered Apprenticeship model and how the program is administered in the State of Maryland. My name is André Keyser, and I am an Apprenticeship and Training Navigator with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training at the Department of Labor.

I’m sure that just by looking at the first slide, you can clearly see that Registered Apprenticeship touches so many different occupations and industries. While Registered Apprenticeship has been traditionally associated with the skilled trades, any occupation that requires a significant body of knowledge, in conjunction with at least a year of on-the-job training can be apprenticed.

Slide 2
So, just what is apprenticeship?

Slide 3
Apprenticeship is an earn as you learn strategy the combines on-the-job training with instruction the in geared toward the specific occupation.

It is also full-time employment from DAY ONE as a W2 employee, not 1099s.

Slide 4
Apprentices are hired as a percentage of the professional or journey-person wage rate that gets progressively higher as the apprentice gains tenable skills and competencies in the occupation.

Once someone completes that program, they become the journey-person and receive journey-person wage rates that are commensurate with their knowledge skills and abilities.

Again, this is NOT training then a promise of employment. It is simultaneous employment and training.

I should also note that the apprentice is an EMPLOYEE first. That means, all the rights and privileges that the traditional employee receives, the apprentice also receives.

Slide 5
As a fun tidbit for you, over 200,000 employers and labor organizations participate in Registered Apprenticeship, and it has been shown that, for every dollar spent on Registered Apprenticeship, there is a 147% increase in productivity. Quite simply, RA works.

Slide 6
So, how is a Registered Apprenticeship program actually formulated?

Slide 7
First and foremost, each RA program must consist of at least 2000 hours of on-the-job training, where the apprentices are working under the direction of a highly skilled journey-person.

That corresponds to roughly 50 weeks at 40 hours per week.

That said, a four-year program would take 8000 hours to complete. The number of hours required depends on the occupation.

The second component is the Related Instruction which must be at least 144 hours for each year of the program.

Slide 8
There are also THREE different types of programs.

Time-based. Competency-based. And, hybrid.

The time-based approaches measures skill acquisition through the completion of the hourly OJT requirements outlined for each occupation. This outline of the hours and requirements for the occupation is called the work process schedule.

Most of our programs are of this type, and this has been the method utilized by the skilled trades for decades.

The competency-based seeks to measure skill acquisition through successful demonstration of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. This model has become more prevalent with the introduction of non-traditional occupations that do not operate under many of the stringent requirements that the traditional trades do.

And, last, but not least, are the hybrid programs. This represents the best of both worlds, as it utilizes both the time-based and competency-based approaches to apprenticeship.

Slide 9
While programs may vary from time-based to competency-based to hybrid, they all have the following five components.

The first is employer involvement. The first thing that is done in trying to build any Registered Apprenticeship program is to identify the needs of the employer.

Because without employers, there is no apprenticeship. Why? Because apprenticeship is, most importantly, a job and a viable career pathway.

The employer provides the wages and, often, pays for the Related Instruction.

The second component is the structured and supervised on-the-job training, which—as you should recall—requires 2000 hours or the equivalent.

And, the third component is the Related Instruction, which requires 144 hours of Related Instruction for each year of the program.

Moreover, it is through the on-the-job training and Related Instruction that the apprentices gain tenable skills in their desired occupations. These skill gains are then rewarded with wages that are commensurate with the skills that they have obtained. So, the fourth component are the “Rewards for Skill Gains.”

Then, we have the culmination of the program, which is the conferral of a “National Occupational Credential.” This certification is both portable and stackable which allows for continued growth in one’s chosen profession. Remember, apprenticeships are supposed to provide tangible career pathways into an industry.

Slide 10
In addition to the components of any Registered Apprenticeship program, there are some additional technical details you need to know.

First, the “Program Sponsor” is responsible for administering the program and handling the paperwork. The sponsor can be an individual business, a community college, or another intermediary.

In the case that the sponsor is the actual business, the sponsor is also the employer—providing the wages for the apprentices.

In some programs, however, the sponsor is not necessarily the employer. The sponsor, for example, can be the provider of the Related Instruction, and the employers can be a group of contractors or external organizations. These employers would, then, just be prescribing to the sponsor’s program structure.

One example of this is IEC Chesapeake who is the Related Instruction provider. It’s group of employers (the contractors), however, are the ones actually employing the apprentices.  

Slide 11
Once a program is formulated in conjunction with the sponsor and an A&T staff member, the program is presented to the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council, also known as MATC. The council is composed of representatives from employee organizations, employers, and the general public. These appointments come from the Governor.

MATC approves the programs and ensures that the programs meet the rigorous standards outlined in our regulations.

After MATC’s approval, the program is now created, and the sponsor can begin registering apprentices.

Slide 12
And, as of the Summer of 2017, the number of Registered Apprentices in the State of Maryland has been hovering between 9000 and 10,0000.

Slide 13
Now that we’ve gotten those messy details out of the way, let’s talk about some of the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship.

Slide 14
The first benefit is the increased retention of employees and the loyalty that apprentices have for their sponsors and employers.

It is because these Registered Apprenticeship programs give the apprentices access to career pathways within industries that they may not have else had access to.

It also provides opportunities for growth within the apprentices chosen occupation. It’s constant upskilling, which is why Registered Apprenticeship works for both new and incumbent workers.

In fact, Registered Apprenticeship boasts a 91% retention rate. But, is it any wonder that employees stay when they feel valued? No, it’s not, and our apprentices are evidence of that.

Slide 15
Wages for occupations in the skilled trades start at around $15 an hour and can grow upwards of $36 an hour in some occupations upon completion of the program.

Slide 16
Moreover, due to the increased retention that employers are seeing, Registered Apprenticeship often provides the employer with cost savings since they don’t have to keep replacing employees. And, this allows for additional investments in training and education! 

Slide 17
The state also provides financial incentives for employers who register apprentices. One of the major incentives is the Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit. If a business has employed someone for seven months of the taxable year and the individual becomes an apprentice during that year, the business is eligible to receive a $1000 tax credit, as funds are available.

We also use some other funding streams such as Maryland Business Works to support our programs. We will be providing additional training on the individual funding incentives in the near future.

Slide 18, 19, 20
Please check out the following resources, and let our team know if you have any additional questions or concerns. You can reach out to either me or the Director of A&T for additional information.

Slide 21
And, as always, thank you for tuning in! 


For additional information, contact:
Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program

1100 N. Eutaw Street, Room 209
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-2246
Fax: 410-333-5162
E-mail: info@mdapprenticeship.com