Safal Partners, a leader in partner care and workforce development solutions, recently played a prominent role at the Apprenticeships for America (AFA) Summit in Washington, D.C. Alan Dodkowitz, Sr. SME, and Katie Adams, Chief Delivery Officer, represented Safal Partners, presenting key insights aimed at strengthening the connection between America’s workforce and Registered Apprenticeship systems. Their session, titled “System Building to Scale,” addressed national leaders in education, apprenticeship, and workforce development, focusing on critical strategies to optimize system alignment.
Dodkowitz and Adams emphasized the urgent need to bridge existing gaps between the public workforce and Registered Apprenticeship frameworks. This alignment is crucial for maximizing the utilization of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds and services. By fostering stronger links, states and localities can bolster their economies, actively engage employers, and provide job seekers with expanded access to paid training opportunities through Registered Apprenticeship programs. The presentation underscored Safal Partners’ ongoing work with the U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Center of Excellence on System Alignment.
The session showcased findings from a national assessment conducted in collaboration with the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) and the National Disability Institute. This assessment examined the workforce system’s understanding of apprenticeship and analyzed 2020 WIOA State Plans, revealing significant knowledge gaps. Key findings included that nearly half of workforce leaders and frontline staff lack a clear understanding of how WIOA performance metrics align with apprenticeship. Furthermore, 44% of workforce professionals are unaware of the WIOA programs that can fund apprenticeship components. Despite universal recognition of apprenticeship as a valuable workforce strategy in 2020 WIOA Plans, only a small fraction of states had established specific goals for apprentice or program registrations.
Registered Apprenticeship was highlighted as a bipartisan solution that benefits both American industry and workers. It empowers employers to develop robust talent pipelines while enabling apprentices to earn wages while learning, avoiding student debt. Apprenticeship programs are vital for accelerating economic resilience across key sectors, including construction, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, IT, and transportation. Safal Partners is dedicated to furthering system-level alignment to enhance efficiencies and broaden positive outcomes for both employers and the workforce nationwide.
