The U.S. The Department of Labor has set a utilization goal for sponsors of Registered Apprenticeship Programs: 7% of individuals enrolled should be individuals with disabilities. Follow the guidance in PIA’s Apprenticeship Equal Employment Opportunity Toolkit, which will help put businesses on the path toward reaching the 7% goal and complying with USDOL’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations for Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
“Apprenticeships are an equalizer for workers and businesses. In an economy with increasing competition for talent, increasing skills and opportunity gaps, and increasing student aid debt, we understand that apprenticeships provide us with an opportunity to solve some of our country’s most severe social and economic inequities.”
Orrian WillisTechSF (PIA Apprenticeship Intermediary Partner)
We interviewed apprentices, including those with disabilities, to get their perspectives on how participating in an inclusive apprenticeship program helped them launch their careers.
Empowering Inclusion through Apprenticeship
Digital accessibility represents a growing field. Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), which combine on-the-job learning and classroom instruction, can build a pipeline of talented workers trained for this field, while accelerating the adoption of accessible workplace technologies in all industries.
Episode 23: Mike Hess, Founder and Executive Director at the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), and Sarah Mark, Workforce Development Program Manager for People with Disabilities at Salesforce discuss their partnership to create career pathways in IT for people who are blind or have low vision and help Salesforce meet its demand for IT talent.
Webinar - Empowering Stories from Black Women in Inclusive Apprenticeships
During this webinar, you will hear success stories from Black female apprentices (one who is a Veteran and one who has a disability) and learn about the many benefits of apprenticeship.
PIA collaborates with employers and apprenticeship intermediaries to design inclusive apprenticeship programs that meet employer talent needs and enable people with disabilities to gain credentials and skills to succeed in growing industries. Learn more about PIA.
Apprenticeship programs help employers train their future workforce and enable individuals to gain paid work experience and training. The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA) helps design diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible apprenticeship programs that are available to all.
Since our launch, PIA has made a significant and measurable impact. Review this snapshot of what our team has accomplished since we started our work in October of 2020.
PIA is a 2023 Apprenticeship Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship. Apprenticeship Ambassadors serve as champions in promoting, expanding, and diversifying Registered Apprenticeship.
Employers who champion disability inclusion earn 28% higher revenue.
Inclusive apprenticeship programs can drive career pathways for youth and adults with disabilities in growing industries including clean energy, healthcare, IT, cybersecurity, and more.
Recruiters are concerned about finding quality talent (PDF). Inclusive apprenticeship programs can bring a wealth of untapped talent to fill critical positions.
Organizations are investing in DEIA. Inclusive apprenticeships can help employers build a more inclusive workplace and adhere to regulations related to hiring diverse employees, including those with disabilities.
Telework offers opportunities to attract untapped talent. Inclusive apprenticeships help employers identify a new pool of candidates and understand the accessibility needs of employees.
