Elizabeth K. Andrews-Standafer

Bio: Elizabeth K. Andrews-Standafer is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Apprenticeship & Career Pathways. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 7 citations.

The Lived Experiences Of Black, Male Youth Apprentices In Career And Technical Education Apprenticeship Programs

Abstract: The lived experiences of three Black, male youth apprentices in North Carolina were told through a qualitative multi-case study. The participants in each case began recruitment for apprenticeship as a high school student though a pre-apprenticeship experience and were hired as full-time apprentices upon completing their program. All of the apprentices were exposed to career awareness activities that connected them to real-world experiences and career pathways before, during and after their recruitment. They also experienced economic mobility by choosing an apprenticeship pathway. Wrap-around services that included support from parents, school, work, other apprentices and the apprentices themselves sustained the apprentices and led to their persistence. The findings suggest that exposure to career awareness, the benefits of economic mobility and strategic supportive services support the recruitment and retention of Black, male youth apprentices.

THE NORTH EAST REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT and TRAINING ASSOCIATION TAKES A LOOK at the NEW PUBLIC WORKFORCE SYSTEM UNDER WIOA [the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act]

Abstract: How Industry Sector Initiatives And Career Pathways Will Create Alignment Between Education And Economic Development Goals.The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was passed by the United States Congress on July 22, 2014, with overwhelming bipartisan support and will be enacted on July 1, 2015, replacing the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. WIOA includes some very progressive language related to how career services activities should be carried out in the public sector in the future. It establishes that:Research and information is provided to job seekers by industry sectorThere be active engagement with employersClear career pathways for job seekers and employees is providedAll job seekers be followed after receiving services to determine if they are benefitting from the career services providedThe public workforce system is to consider the needs of employers and job seekers in the wider region rather than only what falls within their political linesMore opportunities are to be provided for learning on the job (such as apprenticeships and on the job training opportunities)Barriers to employment opportunities are to be addressed (transportation, child care, etc.)This article will examine the first two of these from the list:That research and information provided to job seekers by industry sectorThat there be active engagement with employers and touch lightly on the importance of creating clear career pathways for job seekers and employees. These new strategies in the public workforce system stand at the vanguard of positively impacting employer's ability to improve the quality of their workforce...both incoming workers (job seekers) and incumbent workers as well.A brief historyThe public workforce system has a 100+ year old history of providing job matching services and training services to those who are unemployed and under-employed. The emphasis of this public system had always been on improving the skills of the jobseeker, but a new emphasis under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) was not on training but on helping people get a job first, with training being seen as a last-ditch effort to get the person employed. While it seemed like a good idea at the time, this philosophy of work first over time, lead to a lower skilled workforce at a time when more and more technical skills were required in all industries around the globe. The work-first philosophy under WIA was especially damaging to low-skilled, low-income, and youth populations who were largely dumped into service industry jobs with little career growth opportunities. For those who were not able to find a job with the skills they had, the workforce system did provide a small amount of money (usually three or four thousand dollars) to a few people who qualified for this grant called an individualized training account (ITA). Under previous workforce development legislation, when a jobseeker received training assistance, it was up to the jobseeker to determine what they might want to seek. However, under WIA, jobseekers with ITA's may only pursue employment that is in high growth/high demand occupations in their region.This requirement for jobseekers to train in high growth/high demand occupations is referred to as the demand driven workforce in which jobseekers desires for training are weighed against the needs of employers for those skills in the local marketplace. The concept of local employment needs driving training decisions gained additional traction with the advent of the Federal Department of Labor Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grants initiatives in 2006. The WIRED grants were high dollar competitive grants offered by the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration that pushed forward this idea of a demand driven workforce by making these investments in regions that required the collaboration of economic development labor market information input into the plans being made to carry out the grants. …

Apprenticeship: earn while you learn

Abstract: Formal apprenticeship programs connect jobseekers who want to learn new skills with employers who want to train workers in jobs that use those skills. Most programs last about four years, although some take as little as one year and others as long as six years. At the end of a registered apprenticeship program, apprentices get a nationally recognized certificate of completion as proof of their skills. But it's not always easy to find apprenticeship programs. It helps to know where to look - and what to look for. This article is an overview of registered apprenticeships. The first section explains what apprenticeship programs are, some of the occupations they prepare you for, and what advantages they offer. The second section describes how to find, choose, and apply for an apprenticeship. The third section helps you plan for success. The fourth section has sources for more information. Testimonials from apprentices appear throughout the article.

American Apprenticeship as a Transformative Learning Experience: A Phenomenology

Abstract: HOWZE, PAMELA BOLTON. American Apprenticeship as a Transformative Learning Experience: A Phenomenology. (Under the direction of Dr. James Bartlett). American Apprenticeship as a Transformative Learning Experience: A Phenomenology is an in-depth investigation into the phenomenon of a transformative learning experience for three American high school students who were given a traditional apprenticeship opportunity, including a community college degree, in lieu of going away to a four-year university. This apprenticeship was financed by their employer. The participants of this study were in their fourth year of apprenticeship at a global, Fortune 100 manufacturing facility and attending community college. The participant’s voices were captured in three semi-structured interviews over a six-week period. If American industry is to be globally competitive, students must be ready for a career or college upon graduating from high school. In the United States, technical trades are not typically taught in high schools. With the Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, there is a minimal pipeline of skilled workers entering the job market, which has a significant impact on the ability of advanced manufacturing facilities to hire for critical, technical jobs— ultimately affecting our global competiveness. This study revealed the following findings: The consensus derived from the study of all 3 apprentices is that the experience changed their perception of the community college. They had never had any experiences with the community college and had never been informed of the opportunities within community colleges. It also changed their perception of work. They were not aware of the technical work opportunities that existed. They found that work is not always as people described it to them when they were in high school. All 3 apprentices describe the impact of contextual learning and being allowed to use what they learned in school and immediately apply it in the workplace. They all spoke of the impact of being financially secure and independent at a young age and their excitement about having no college debt. They all 3 intend to finish a four year degree in a related field while staying employed with the sponsor company. The experience was a positive, impactful and favorable experience for all 3 apprentices. The experience impacted their futures greatly. They all discussed the importance and value of the mentor relationship during their experience. All of the participants plan to complete a