Meetings & Minutes

Maine Apprenticeship Council

September 22, 2010: 9:30 AM

Minutes:

MAINE APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEE September 22, 2010 MINUTES

Members Present: Don Berry, Bob Bourgault, Phil Dionne, Tuesdi Woodworth Quorum NOT established Others Present: Ginny Carroll, Director

• Meeting called to order at 9:00 by Don Berry-Chair • Minutes unavailable – Ginny will provide for next meeting • Directors Report-Attached • Action Clinic – Recent Maine Action Clinic Team Notes-Attached • Revised Committee Membership

Maine Statute: B. The committee is composed of 12 voting members appointed by the Governor and made up as follows: 4 members must be representatives of employees and be bona fide members of a recognized major labor organization; 4 members must be representatives of employers and be bona fide employers or authorized representatives of bona fide employers; and 4 members must be representatives of the public, selected from neither industrial employers nor employees, nor may they be directly concerned with any particular industrial employer or employee. At least 2 members who are representatives of the public must represent the interests of women, minorities and recipients of aid to families with dependent children who are in registered apprenticeships. Each member holds office until a successor is appointed and qualified, and any vacancy must be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. The chair of the committee must be a member of the committee and is named by the members of the committee. The Commissioner of Labor or a designee, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or a designee, the Commissioner of Education or a designee, the chair of the council or a member designee and the President of the Maine Community College System or a designee are nonvoting ex officio members of the committee. [1997, c. 683, Pt. D, §9 (new); 2003, c. 20, Pt. OO, §2 (amd); §4 (aff).]

Names suggested for continued or revised membership of MAC:

VOTING MEMBERS CURRENT RECOMMENDED OTHER LABOR (IBEW) Don Berry Don Berry CHAIR LABOR (PLUMBER/PIPEFITTERS) John Napolitano Jennifer McKenna
LABOR (IBEW) John Evans Chris Trider
LABOR Allen Wyman
BUSINESS/MGT (PRIV BUS) Phil Dionne Phil Dionne CO-CHAIR BUSINESS/MGT (MMTA) Tuesdi Woodworth Tuesdi Woodworth
BUSINESS/MGT Jeffrey Cammack Jeffrey Cammack
BUSINESS/MGT VACANT
PUBLIC (GENERAL PUBLIC) Bob Bourgault Bob Bourgault
PUBLIC (AT RISK YOUTH) VACANT Bill Getz
PUBLIC (WOMEN/MINORITIES) VACANT Lib Jamison
PUBLIC (TANF) VACANT Liz Ray
DECD Non-voting ex officio VACANT
DOE Non-voting ex officio Shawn Lagasse Shawn Lagasse
MCCS Non-voting ex officio Charles Mitchell
MDOL Non-voting ex officio Peaches Bass Peaches Bass

• Suggested Policy Changes discussed and to be voted on at next meeting please read carefully and come prepared to make decisions on the proposed policy changes at next meeting.

ISSUE CURRENT STATUS PROPOSED POLICY ACTION/CHANGE MAP currently reimburses tuition costs for PT employees who are FT students. Most putting in less than 500 hours OJL/year. Issue is they will not complete programs in required timeframes affecting Maine performance outcomes and depleting R.I. resources for FT apprentices. Promote alternate financial aid resources to pre-apprentices looking to go on to FT college. Reserve MAP funds for FT apprentices that will complete OJT within required timeframes. MAP currently supports very low-wage occupations, a poor use of limited resources. Some occupations showing Journey Person wages of $8.15 Only approve programs that start registered apprentices at $10.00 or above and that will result in self-sustaining JP wage levels or launch on a career ladder with high wage prospects. MAP currently supports training for which licensing or certification can be earned in less than 2000 hours (some only 400 hours). MAP apprentice occupations that require a minimum of 2000 hours per Federal and State statute MAP currently has no across-the-board or formal means of informing general public of apprenticeship opportunities becoming available Via Action Clinic Team – institute formal methods for informing prospective apprentices of upcoming or ongoing opportunities by creating an apprenticeship preparation pathway (PRE-APPRENTICESHIP) that requires specific readiness components and that will most likely be adopted by USDOL OA as official definition of “Pre-Apprenticeship”. Currently the number of apprentices dropping out of programs is significantly high. This will affect Maine’s ability to maintain status as a “Registration State” Work to assure apprentices & sponsors are fully informed about and committed to the requirements of apprenticeship and that sponsors contact us at the close of the probationary period with each new registration. Use the goals of the Action Clinic to formalize entry and preparation for apprenticeship • By formalizing entry into R.A. via Pre-App approach laid out above • Providing better support and communications with apprentices an sponsors throughout Currently a significant number of women continue to pursue traditional female (low-wage) occupations. New requirements for documenting women & minorities in apprenticeship will be forthcoming with the revisions to CFR 29 30. • Work to inform women/girls about High Wage (traditional male or other high wage occupations) apprenticeship opportunities • Via Action Clinic work to link women and minorities with support services & resources that will enable them to successfully complete programs • Ensure all occupations are made available to women and minorities • Refer those with math or other deficiencies to Pre-App programs and/or Adult education or other resources • Create policy that promotes broad based recruitment strategies for apprenticeship opportunities (Maine Job Bank for example). • Educate sponsors on the benefits of diversity and EEO compliance requirements Currently Pre-Apprenticeship results in very few if any Registered Apprenticeships. Some of this is due to Federal Outcome Requirements that value college entry over apprenticeship or work entry. Some is related to employer understanding of pre-apprenticeship as a try-out employment versus a pathway to registered apprenticeship. • Promote Pre-Apprenticeship as a pathway to Registered Apprenticeship. • Implement same Pre-Apprenticeship requirements as adult Pre-Apprenticeship model (many of the CTEs are already providing this) • Ensure affiliates, sponsors, partners understand the new requirements for apprenticeship when engaging employer/sponsors • Clearly articulate differences between Pre-Apprenticeship and Try-Out Employment

NEXT MEETING: December 15, 2010 from 9:30-11:30 Central Maine Commerce Center, Augusta in the Francis Perkins Room