Apprenticeship Alabama (AA) Public-Private Partnership
11/28/16 at 8:00 am
Meeting Minutes
Attendees:
ACCS (Alabama Community College System) – Gene Dudley (CTE), Kristi Bain
ADOL (Alabama Department of Labor) – Bob Brantley, Brinda Barret (Career Center
System - CCS), Ruby Beezley (CCS), Jim Henry (LMI), Jim Ramsey (CCS), Stephen
Smith (ES)
ALSDE (Alabama State Department of Education) – Josh Laney
Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Alabama – Todd Walker
Central 6 Regional Council – Antiqua Cleggett
NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) – Rosemary Elebash
RWC (Regional Workforce Councils) – Roger Fortner
WDD (Workforce Development Division) – Bill Hornsby, Mickey Hutto, Tammy
Wilkinson
AA (Apprenticeship Alabama) – Frank Chestnut, Sherry DeLoach, Jessica Falls, Patsy
Richards
Welcome – Patsy
Apprenticeship Alabama Update
 200k Accelerator Grant – Patsy
o Action Tool
 Promotional Materials – Frank Chestnut
 Available for presentations/meet & greet with Business & Industry/ACCS –
Frank Chestnut
Action Tool & Working Groups
 Status Update – 11/14/2016 2nd Quarterly update submitted - Patsy
 Configuration of Working groups & Actions
o Meet monthly with goal to present quarterly to steering committee Patsy
Public-Private Partnership Goals for the meeting
 Industry Engagement
 Sector Focus
Group Discussion
Information the group needs:
 USDOL explanation of flexibility
o Limitation of programs
o Sponsors (Business & College)
 Colleges that are doing Registered Apprenticeships (RAs)
Getting others to the table
 Manufacture Alabama
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SHRM
Automotive Sector
o Getting Tier 1 Supplier, so they can influence Tier 2 and Tier 3
suppliers to join RAs
Healthcare
o Reach out to Assisted Living Facilities
IT (Most Open Sector of the 5 targeted sectors)
o Crosses every sector
Consider State Agencies for RAs
Invite Nancy Griggs (Northeast Alabama CC) to discuss how to get into the
Academic World
Identify specific employers and jobs
o Hold their hand and help them through the process
o Look for the lowest hanging fruit
 Ron Dixon has 100 companies that are ready to be registered –
Frank Chestnut
o Consider finding a dozen employers (Possible Pilot) –
 Easy win
Place Colleges on a Map on a list to match with employers
Game Plan for Businesses
o Create easy to read Road Map
 Checklist defining Company & AA’s role
 Curriculum development for Related Technical Information
(RTIs)
 Need flexibility on both sides (Business & Industry and ACCS)
o RWC will advertise at Council Meetings
 Identify a company with a RA in the region to present
 Possibly Kamtec’s success story about USDOL flexibility
and their reluctance to make changes (See below)
o Kamtec met with AA and USDOL to handle flexibility concerns. Their
concerns were addressed in 10 minutes.
 Addressed overtime issue
 Credit for time worked… applied towards OJT hours
required for completion
 Increased pay for apprentices
o AA will be meeting with UAB next week to discuss
 Industrial Maintenance Program
 HVAC Program
o Reach out to Senators and Representatives to work with businesses
within their district – Rosemary Elebash
 Senator Orr - Decatur
 Representative Baker - Escambia
 Senator Bussman - Cullman
 Representative Clouse – Dale & Houston County
 Senator Poole - Tuscaloosa
o Small business owners – Todd Walker and Rosemary Elebash
 Don’t like working with State Agencies
 Need simple readable/understandable instructions
 Need assistance with filling out paperwork
 Reduce fear factor relating to companies hesitancy in
joining RAs (due to paperwork)
Speaking the same language
 Opportunities for WIOA
 Everyone in the group should be on the same page
Youth Apprenticeships
 Interested in setting up Youth Apprenticeships – Todd Walker
o Young adults not in school (16-18)
 Worked with Philip Cleveland to create work-based learning program for
youth
o 92 Students in Construction
 Looking to double that number next year
o Set-up pipeline to transition to RAs
o Workman’s Comp/Child Labor Law
 Ed is working with a group of six to discuss possible ways to
reduce liability (insurance cost) on businesses that hire youth.
 Josh Laney sent information to AA about the tax credit
Georgia implemented to offset the cost incurred by
businesses that hire youth.
 Youth Apprenticeships for High School students cannot be registered
Measure of Success
 More people employed
 Utilization of Tax Credit (SB90)
 Stick ability/follow-through
Pilot Program in Central 6 Region
 Central 6 is exploring becoming a sponsor for businesses in their region
o Accountability for training and all related additional paperwork to
assist companies need to be addressed (requesting a checklist)
 Central 6 will work with Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of
Alabama, ACCS, RWC, USDOL, & AA to work out the details of how to proceed
o ABC of Alabama has 30 companies ready to hire 60 employees
Next meeting:
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 10am
Tentative Location – Commerce on the 3rd floor Room 342