Sizing up the Success of Apprenticeships
In the sheet metal industry, it is often said to “measure twice, cut once.” That same model of reviewing the right measures at the right time applies to aligning best practices for our apprenticeship program, which currently serves more than 800 students in District 1. The SMW 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers (JATCs) must continually evolve to achieve goals and objectives that meet the needs for contractors, the union and the marketplace.
The state and federal laws, rules and regulations governing the practices of one of the largest apprenticeship programs in California are complex, and data must be collected in order to comply with both the letter and the intent of these laws. Building upon what must be measured and what should be tracked to grow a bestin-class program, the JATC trustees have adopted annual reporting guidelines on key performance indicators. A sample of these targeted measurements include:
Recruitment, demographics and indenture
- Percentage of turnout completion for BTSM, BT Service and TAB, including demographics
- Number of indentures for all classifications and demographics
- Top 5 recruitment sources, including demographics and regions
- Number of pre-apprentices indentured
Curriculum impact
- Program evaluations from students, instructors and graduates
- Review of top repeated programs
- Number of apprentices on Training Coordinators List
- Number of contractors completing/not completing evaluations
Financial
- Average cost per student turnout, per year, per facility
Existing and new performance indicators will be presented to the Board of Trustees annually for review and discussion. With the guidance of the JATC leaders, the support of labor and management, and continuously improving processes and systems, program opportunities and successes will be easier to size up and lay out for execution.