US Department of Labor Launches New Apprenticeship Finder Tool for Career Seekers, Employers

U.S. DOL

For the past several years, workforce shortages have been a constant headline in the construction industry.  A large contingency of the skilled labor in the United States is retiring and the younger generations aren’t filling in as quickly as needed. 

The “trial-by-fire” way of “training” employees on a job site, which far too many companies are accustomed to, is a much less effective way of promoting the trades and creating a safe worksite than an apprenticeship program can be. 

In order to help fill the gap and build tangible skills, the U.S. Department of Labor has recently launched a new Apprenticeship Finder Tool on Apprenticeship.gov. The tool is designed to be an easy way for job and career seekers to connect with employers who offer an apprenticeship program.

The Apprenticeship Finder Tool and platform is free for both employers and career seekers.

For career seekers

Simply enter the keyword for the career you’re looking for and the location into the “apprenticeship finder” and it will spit out the nearest apprenticeship programs to you.

For Employers

If your company already has an apprenticeship program, you should first ensure that it appears on the National Labor Exchange or the State Job Board, then list your jobs, and verify that the jobs have been added to the apprenticeship finder.

To start a new apprenticeship program for your company, the website includes 5 easy steps:

1. Create a program that fills your business needs
2. Partner with key players in your region, like businesses and educational institutions
3. Build the core components of the program, including a paid job, on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and industry-recognized credentials
4. Launch your apprenticeship program, by conducting market outreach, recruiting, and starting to train apprentices.
5. Receive 3rd party validation to ensure that your apprenticeship program meets the standards. The U.S. Department of Labor or state agencies are able to validate programs currently and additional Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Certifiers are coming soon.