Advance Michigan Center for Apprenticeship Innovation (AMCAI) recognized by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices
AMCAI has been recognized nationally as one of the top 15 performing American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) grantees in helping to address the state’s workforce challenges by establishing apprenticeship programs responsive to the evolving technical needs in high-demand automotive and transportation sectors, along with non-traditional apprenticeship occupations like information technology.
AMCAI representatives will travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in a full-day workshop on January 9, 2020, where they will meet with the other top performers to share strategies and best practices designed to promote future growth in the world of apprenticeships.
SEMCA Michigan Works! and the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN) manage a $4 million U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) AAI grant aimed to make apprenticeship work for companies and job-seekers by expanding regional apprenticeship through statewide innovation in 37 Michigan counties from 2015-2020. The AMCAI partnership is comprised of subrecipients – Henry Ford College, Lansing Community College, Mid Michigan College, Oakland Community College, Schoolcraft College, Jackson College and Macomb Community College – along with many local and regional corporate, educational, and workforce and economic development partners.
In 2019, AMCAI partners exceeded all numerical performance outcomes required by the DOL. National best practices, tools and strategies including a Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator and Registered Apprenticeship Program in a Day (RAPiD) events have allowed MI Apprenticeship including employer, college and workforce agency partners to achieve American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) grant outcomes one year early.
Partners registered approximately 200 new apprentices in a range of high-demand H1-B occupations, served over 1,200 participants, and engaged with almost 100 new employers during 2019, increasing totals to over 600 registered apprentices, nearly 2,200 participants served, and engagement of over 400 new employers since the inception of the grant.
“The WIN Apprenticeship team thanks and recognizes the hard work of employer, college and workforce agency partners that achieved AAI outcomes one year early based on developing and implementing national best practice tools and strategies,” says WIN Executive Director Michele Economou Ureste.
Additionally, through the end of the AAI grant in 2020, the WIN Apprenticeship team continues to grow its intermediary program, providing logistical support and serving as the standards holder to over twenty employers as they develop and implement apprenticeship programs, at no cost to them. AMCAI staff serve as a liaison between employers and the DOL to ensure an apprenticeship program is properly registered and meets all federal guidelines.
Scheduled for early 2020, is the launch of RapidSkills.org, a site that open sources competency-based apprenticeship standards to help facilitate the creation of apprenticeship programs. Visit the site today and signup for early access.
To learn more about the positive impact registered apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the state’s economy visit www.dol.gov/apprenticeship and miapprenticeship.org.