Apprenticeship Programs:
Earn and Learn

• Electrical Training Alliance / IBEW
• International Finishing Trades Institute / IUPAT
• International Training Institute for the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Industry / SMART
• LIUNA Training and Education Fund
• Michigan Trowel Trades and Training Fund / International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
• Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters / United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
• The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IABS)

1. Applicants must enroll in a qualifying degree program:
   • Associate in Applied Science – Technological Sciences 
2. Upon completion of the required courses and meeting the minimum graduation requirements of Oakland Community College, an Associate Degree will be awarded.
3. Completion of at least 15 OCC Credits, with a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher, is required before the Associate Degree can be issued.
4. Normal college requirements and policies apply including admission and grading.
5. Individuals enrolling under this agreement should declare their program of study and contact apprenticeship@oaklandcc.edu. To facilitate the evaluation of credit, individuals should provide an OCC student ID (if you have one), and a copy of your completed apprenticeship documentation (Journeyperson card or US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship Certificate) to apprenticeship@oaklandcc.edu
6. Credits articulated will transfer and appear on the student’s transcript in compliance with college policy.

Registered Apprenticeships are apprenticeship programs that are well-defined and documented, and are approved by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).  The DOL has been overseeing and registering apprentices in the US for nearly one hundred years.  Registered Apprenticeships are employer-driven and sponsored. A company or union/labor organization sponsoring a Registered Apprenticeship Program determines whom they will employ, and apprentice.

All high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs consist of five core components.

1. Employer Designed and Driven
2. Structured On-the-Job Learning (OJL)
3. Related Instruction (RI)
4. Wage Progression
5. National Credential 

Registered Apprenticeship
Any employer, association, committee, or organization that operates a Registered Apprenticeship Program. This entity assumes the full responsibility for administration and operation of the apprenticeship program. Sponsors can be a single business or a consortium of businesses. Alternatively, the sponsor can be a workforce intermediary, such as an industry association or a labor-management organization. Community colleges and community-based organizations can also serve as sponsors of apprenticeship programs.

Sponsors design and execute apprenticeship programs, provide jobs to apprentices, oversee training development, and provide hands-on learning and technical instruction for apprentices. The programs operate on a voluntary basis and they often receive support by collaborating with community-based organizations, educational institutions, the workforce system, and other stakeholders. 

Depending on the occupation, Registered Apprenticeships lasts from one to six years. For each year of the registered apprenticeship, the apprentice typically receives 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning (OJL) and 144 hours of related instruction (RI) in college classes. A majority of apprenticeships last four years in length. 

Yes, but it varies by program. If your prior coursework aligns with a registered apprentice program, and your sponsor approves this coursework as relevant, then it may count toward completion of your apprenticeship program. A determination will be made on a case-by-case basis. With accepted credit, you are required to participate in at least 6 months (equivalent to 1,000 hours) of a Registered Apprenticeship Program to complete the credential. 

Yes! Most apprenticeship opportunities include on-the-job learning and classroom instruction. Therefore, apprentices can earn up to 45 credits toward a certificate or degree.

The Office of Apprenticeship or the State Apprenticeship Agency grant apprentices who have successfully completed a registered apprenticeship program with a nationally recognized Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship.