APPRENTICESHIP

BACKGROUND -- In the early 20th Century, America needed a system of trade education and training to meet the needs of its growing industrial base. In 1934, the federal government acted to encourage these efforts with the establishment of the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship and the Apprentice Training Service, later to be known as the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT).

The Fitzgerald Act of 1937 allowed BAT to become a permanent agency of the U.S. Department of Labor.  Today that agency is called Apprenticeship Training and Employer Labor Services (ATELS). The establishment of these national agencies contributed greatly to the rebirth of apprenticeship in America.

Here in Washington, a State Apprenticeship Council was established in 1939 to oversee our apprenticeship system. The Department of Labor and Industries apprenticeship section is the administrative arm for the council.

Apprenticeship is a legally binding agreement between an apprentice and a sponsor that combines paid on-the-job training under the supervision of a journeylevel worker and a minimum of 144 hours of related classroom instruction per year.  Most programs take three to five years to complete.

Our state has more than 300 occupations with apprenticeship standards, but by far the largest number of apprentices work in the unionized Building and Construction Trades.

LABOR'S POSITION -- As a training model, apprenticeship is finally getting the recognition and respect it so richly deserves.

We, in organized labor, are doing all we can to insure that apprenticeship is used more often as the model training system for our state’s future workforce development needs.  Our efforts to dispel myths and demonstrate labor’s commitment to training have been recognized by the governor and other workforce development leaders in our state.  Two recent studies by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and the Department of Employment Security found apprenticeship the most effective and underutilized job training program in our state.

Labor has been at the forefront of most new promotional initiatives and activities and will continue to do so.  With the demand for construction workers expected to continue to grow, so will the need for apprentices.

Major public works projects -- including the 10-year, $6 billion third runway project at SeaTac Airport and the Sound Transit project -- have requirements that 15% of the labor hours be preformed by apprentices plus requirements for minority and female workers. Also, private developers like Vulcan Construction understand the value of training and have incorporated apprenticeship utilization in their contracts.

In 2000, Gov. Locke issued an executive order requiring that 15% of all labor hours worked on state building projects be performed by apprentices.  In 2005, the Legislature codified that standard, the first bill signed into law by newly elected Gov. Gregoire. And in 2006, the Legislature voted to expand the 15% standard to include Department of Transportation projects.

Apprenticeship utilization standards have expanded opportunities for workers to enter family-wage occupations.

There are now slightly more than 10,000 active apprentices in Washington with that number expected to rise over the next several years.  Among the active apprentices, 2,250 (22%) are minorities and 1,437 (14%) are women.  These are excellent numbers considering minorities make up 12% of our workforce.  We believe these numbers may be the best in the nation.

Labor will continue to work for expansion of apprenticeship opportunities into new and emerging occupations; for apprenticeship requirements on all school construction; to ensure there is adequate funding for these programs to operate; and to hold all apprenticeship programs to the highest standards.

2000 -- Gov. Locke issues an Executive Order setting aside 10% of all work hours on $2 million-plus public works projects be performed by state-certified apprentices. The Order phased-in to 15% utilization at $1 million-plus projects. 

2001 -- SHB 1234 amended state apprenticeship laws to conform with federal apprenticeship regulations, in response to federal audit recommendations. Passed and signed into law. 

2003 -- HB 1061 authorized associate degree pathways for participants in state approved apprenticeship programs. Passed and signed into law.

2005 -- SB 5097 put into statute Gov. Locke's executive order on a 15% apprenticeship utilization standard at major public works projects. Passed and signed into law. 

2006 -- SB 6480 removed a Department of Transportation exemption, applying the 15% apprenticeship utilization standard to major DOT projects as well. Passed and signed into law.

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