AIM Policy and Practice Resources About AIM The Apprenticeship Inclusion Models (AIM) initiative was a two-year project funded by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The goal of the initiative, which was led by Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), Wheelhouse Group, and Jobs for the Future (JFF), was to inform, shape, and strengthen national policy around apprenticeship, workforce development, and employment. As a result, the initiative would help to expand access to inclusive apprenticeships for people with disabilities. AIM’s work centered on researching, developing, testing, and evaluating innovative strategies in existing apprenticeship programs that provided skills training to people with disabilities. AIM worked with four apprenticeship programs to pilot new, innovative approaches to creating inclusive apprenticeship programs. These pilot programs received training and technical assistance from the AIM operating team. The AIM team provided training and technical assistance on topics such as procurement language, disability self-disclosure, accessible eRecruiting, the business case for inclusion, managing and mentoring apprentices with disabilities, and more. AIM also created a broader Community of Practice (CoP) to help inform its work. At the end of the two-year project, AIM yielded key insights for employers and other organizations about how to implement and...
Read MoreThis AIM Policy and Practice Brief identifies several practices tested in education and work-based learning programs that would benefit apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. Some of the practices include co-designing programs, tools and materials alongside learners and instructors, or applying classroom-tested UDL practices that translate to the apprenticeship setting and other key practices.
This AIM Policy and Practice Brief outlines recommended strategies for making pre-apprenticeship programs more inclusive, foster Universal Design, and enhance accessibility for youth and adults with disabilities.
This AIM Policy and Practice Brief identifies several common funding strategies for funding inclusive apprenticeship programs, including recruitment outreach and supportive services; monetary and in-kind support from the employer and other sources; collaborative funding to braid, blend, and align resources and services; and other collaborative funding approaches.
This AIM Policy and Practice Brief shares how organizations pivoted and the major adaptations that were undertaken to continue inclusive apprenticeship programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This AIM Policy and Practice Brief examines how Employment Network service providers and Vocational Rehabilitation agencies can better connect beneficiaries of the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program to apprenticeships.
AIM Webinar Series: Expanding Apprenticeships through AIM
The Apprenticeship Inclusion Models (AIM) project hosted a 6-part webinar series on inclusion strategies and approaches for apprenticeships in emerging industries for people with disabilities.