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APPRENTICESHIP DETAILS FOR

Employers & Sponsors

Apprenticeships are a proven tool for recruiting and training a skilled and diverse workforce. If you're an employer or sponsor, you may want to register new apprentices or sponsor a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP).

A RAP is a career path that offers paid work experience and a nationally-recognized credential. All RAPs are:

Paid, with wage increases as the apprentice progresses

Eligible for college credits

Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor and State Apprenticeship Agency standards

BPA as an Apprenticeship Sponsor

Currently, BPA is an approved apprenticeship sponsor in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. This means that BPA operates within these states by assuming the responsibility of designing and executing apprenticeship programs, providing jobs to apprentices, overseeing training development, and providing hands-on learning and technical instruction for apprentices. Continue reading to learn exactly how BPA supports employers and apprentices in the recruitment, hiring, and training processes.

Download Our Program Outline

BPA has developed the Energy Specialist RAP to help expand the clean energy workforce and build a pipeline of highly qualified talent.

Download the Outline ›

Poster that has the PBA logo and Ace network logo with a photo of construction workers that reads Energy Specialist Apprenticeship Program. Mission Train new and prospective workers in modern workforce skills to become home energy auditors, analysts, technicians and specialists. Energy Specialist Job Descriptions: Establish oneself with the knowledge skills,and abilities to conduct energy audits of homes and building, building systems or process systems - making them safer, healthier and more efficient. Alternate Job titles: Home performance consultant, building science and energy specialist, building scientist: Energy advisor, energy and building systems specialist: energy auditor; energy consultant, energy rater, home energy inspector, home performance consultant energy auditor and analyst.
An air source heat pump on the side of a home being installed in the North East of England. The house is aiming to be sustainable. There is a construction worker with a hard hat and reflective jacket holding a digital tablet, they are both pointing to the heat pump.

The Basics

An apprenticeship is a structured education and training program that takes place in the workplace and includes formal on-the-job (OTJ) and classroom-based, related technical instruction (RTI).

An apprentice must complete 2,000 hours of OTJ and 144 hours of RTI, which can take 2-5 years to complete. An apprentice is a full-time employee of the employer or sponsor and is paid a wage that is subject to minimum wage regulations. As the apprentice hits milestones along the training path, their wage increases according to program standards.

Some employers choose to administer their own program in-house, so they have full control of the program, while others find it helpful to partner with another entity to handle the program management and administration—that entity is considered a program sponsor.

The Benefits

Apprenticeships are designed by, and for, the employer. They are highly specialized to meet the unique needs of a specific job.

RAPs Benefit Employers by:

Reducing employee turnover

Increasing productivity

Improving safety

Creating a pipeline of qualified employees

Meeting licensing requirements

Covering costs through tax credits and grants

 

Let Us Help

BPA is working within the ACE Network—a consortium of apprenticeship specialists—that is ready to extend its expertise to clean energy companies, training providers, academic institutions, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders throughout the process of designing, registering, implementing, and scaling Registered Apprenticeships for clean energy occupations.

WE OFFER:

Outreach and Education

Learn about the benefits of RAs, explore options for creating new programs or joining existing ones, understand the steps involved in registering and administering RA training programs to develop a skilled and diverse workforce, and prepare to manage programs in compliance with state and federal regulations.

  • Website, webinars, and workshops
  • Networking and peer learning
  • Tools and resources

Technical Assistance

Obtain personalized support to navigate the apprenticeship landscape, build successful programs, and recruit and retain diverse apprentices.

  • Program design and registration
  • Occupational analysis
  • Curriculum design
  • Stakeholder convening and partnership development
  • Identifying and securing financial incentives
  • Recruitment and retention of diverse candidates
  • Compliance and record keeping

Financial Assistance

Limited direct financial assistance is available to clean energy employers to help mitigate costs associated with recruiting, training, and mentoring diverse apprentices.

Download Our Energy Specialist Apprenticeship Outline

Learn about the BPA-sponsored Energy Specialist Apprenticeship program with this informative outline. View our recommendations for workforce and training program management, complete with a detailed sample schedule of 140+ hours of related technical instruction. Download Here.

Get Started Today

Complete the form below to submit your information and get connected with a member of the BPA team. We will be in touch soon to help you get your RAP off the ground!

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