Frequently asked questions.
Q: What is Apprenticeship?
A: Apprenticeship is a proven solution to employers’ most common challenge: building a strong, skilled, and loyal workforce. It is a structured, customizable method employers use to provide training in a specific occupation for new hires and/or current employees.
Q: Why should my organization consider apprenticeship?
A: Your organization’s success depends on a strong, sustainable talent pipeline. Apprenticeship has proven to:
shrink skills gaps through specific training for critical roles
boost retention rates – labor churn is expensive with the cost of replacing an employee in a professional role who leaves within their first year averaging 100 – 150% of their annual salary. Apprentices are started at a lower entry wage while they gain skill and experience; 93% of all apprentices who complete their program are retained as FTEs by their employer and tend to stay in their role longer than their non-apprentice peers.
increase worker loyalty – apprenticeship programs are clear career pathways, demonstrating both a companies’ commitment to professional development and advancement. Gallup (2021) reported that 70% of all workers would switch employers solely for training opportunities. Apprenticeship sets you apart from competitors.
transfer worker knowledge – apprenticeship provides a clear, scalable plan for ensuring that the investment companies have made in workers over years or decades is captured before an employee retires and transferred to younger workers or newer hires.
generate positive return on investment – DOL studies show that employers realize $1.47 for every $1 invested in apprenticeship.
more efficiently scale recruiting and training – the apprenticeship framework is structured, repeatable and easily implementable at multiple sites and even across multiple states.
Build more diverse workforces – if your company has diversity, equity and inclusion goals apprenticeship is a tool to meet them. With a structured training plan in place from day one, you can expand your talent sourcing pools to bring in new workers through new recruiting sources.
Q: Isn’t apprenticeship only for union, skilled trade jobs?
A: No. Apprenticeship is simply a proven strategy and plan for more effectively building your workforce. Apprenticeships can be for union or non-union workforces. Tech companies and companies in other industries that hire for tech roles are using apprenticeship to build their talent pipelines including Amazon, AWS, Microsoft, Boeing, Wayfair, IBM, Elevance Health, to name a few.
Q: What tech occupations could our organization hire and train for using apprenticeship?
A: The US Department of Labor (DOL) has worked with employers nationwide to build industry-aligned, customizable apprenticeship training frameworks for numerous tech occupations.
Q: How long is an apprenticeship program?
A: Program length varies by occupation and model. Registered apprenticeship programs can be competency based, time based, or a hybrid. All apprenticeship programs are at least 12 months (or approximately 2,000 work hours) and include an additional minimum of 144 hours of related instruction (RI) or coursework that you select to ensure your apprentices gain both foundational knowledge and hands-on experience.
Q: What is the difference between internships and apprenticeship programs?
A: Apprenticeships are paid positions and include both a laid-out structured training plan and a set of courses that apprentices complete to build both skill and foundational knowledge. Apprentices also have a designated mentor and receive a nationally recognized, portable credential upon program completion. Internship programs can be used as a pipeline to an employers’ apprenticeship program.
Q: Do apprentices get paid?
A: Yes. Apprentices are employees. They can be new hires or existing employees. Employers who hire new employees directly into their apprenticeship program are not required to extend full-time employment beyond program completion but it’s such an effective program that 93% of employers do.
Q: What does it mean to have a “registered” apprenticeship program and why does registration matter?
A: Registered Apprenticeship is the gold standard of workforce development. Registering a program means your program is certified by either DOL or a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) and provides several specific benefits that unregistered apprenticeship programs or internships don’t including:
access to a state and national network of apprenticeship resources and support,
automatic eligibility to be added to your state and local workforce board’s Eligible Training Provider list which can open doors to possible workforce system funding support for your program
the ability to apply for and/or access federal/state funding support through tax credits, grants, and incentive funding
the ability to receive GI Bill approval which means, among other things, that Veterans in your apprenticeship program could receive their Military Housing Allowance tax-free
Q: Is there a minimum number of apprentices we would need to hire or enroll in an apprenticeship program?
A: One! Apprenticeship is an employer-driven strategy to help your company train workers – whether that’s 1, 100 or 1,000. The number is up to you, and you can bring new workers on – or enroll current workers in the program – at your speed over time.
Q: We already have in-house training programs or training partners – is there a way to incorporate them into an apprenticeship program?
A: Absolutely. Apprenticeship is another tool to add to our organization’s talent recruiting and development toolbox and both can and should leverage your current programs and partners. We can show you how.
Safal Partners’ Services and National Apprenticeship Program
Q: How can Safal Partners help my organization?
A: Through our federal contract and role as a DOL national industry intermediary, Safal Partners can provide a host of apprenticeship services at no cost to your organization including:
an established national registered apprenticeship program you can join immediately without having to assume responsibilities of sponsorship.
online, industry-built, certification-aligned training courses for your apprentices.
extensive expert technical assistance to assist your team in all aspects of building, launching, and sustaining an apprenticeship program.
per-apprentice incentive funding and assistance identifying other funding to support your program
assistance in marketing your program and identifying potential candidates.
referrals of transitioning service members/Veterans and military spouses
All of our services and online training are provided at no cost to your organization through our DOL contract to expand apprenticeship in tech roles.
Q: What would it mean to join Safal’s national apprenticeship program?
A: At its most basic level we serve as sponsor so you can focus on your role as the apprentices’ employer. We walk you through the outline of our program and customize it to your needs.
Q: Can Safal help me find talent?
A: We partner with a number of organizations including K-12 schools, Career and Technical Education Centers, Adult Education Programs, Colleges and Universities nationwide. We are also an approved partner in the DOL VETS Employer Navigator Partnership Program. We will gladly connect you with our talent pipeline partners and make Veteran and military spouse referrals.
Q: Do I have to hire new employees to join Safal Partners’ national apprenticeship program?
A: No. You can enroll current employees in our program to upskill them for new or evolving roles.
Q: What does your service cost?
A: Nothing. All of our services are at no cost because they are funded through our DOL contract. In fact, we are able to award modest incentive funding and can assist your organization in finding other sources of funding.