Program Overview
Designed to address teacher shortages and enhance educational quality, the program supports apprentices with a progressive wage schedule, providing financial investments as they develop their skills. Upon completion, apprentices not only achieve their teaching certification but also bring a blend of practical experience and theoretical knowledge to Pennsylvania’s schools, enriching the state's educational landscape.
L&I's Apprenticeship and Training Office
As the State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA), the ATO is responsible for overseeing the development and registration of all Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-apprenticeship related programs, agreements, policies, and ensures compliance of all registered programs with regulations and standards. The ATO is working to embed a focus on apprenticeships within the state's workforce system and PA CareerLink® offices; and continues to place an emphasis on equal opportunity standards and equitable selection procedures as well as increasing quality assurance and compliance efforts. It supports sponsors with the resources they need to implement high-quality apprenticeship programs, including the PAsmart grant program.
Why Choose this Program?
Apprenticeship serves as a meaningful tool to address a shortage of educators –
- Teacher Shortages – The Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Pennsylvania address key challenges in education, such as teacher shortages, quality enhancement, and workforce diversification. This program provides a structured pathway for aspiring teachers to gain essential skills and experience through on-the-job learning, related technical instruction, and mentorship.
- Diversity in Educators – These programs play a pivotal role in diversifying the teaching workforce by offering an accessible and equitable entry into the profession for individuals from varied backgrounds. This diversity enriches classrooms with a range of perspectives, creating a more inclusive and culturally relevant learning environment that reflects Pennsylvania's multicultural student body.
- Collaboration – Collaboration among school districts, higher education institutions, and other educational stakeholders is vital to the program's success. By aligning educational programs with state workforce needs and offering progressive wage increases, the program supports the development of a well-prepared and diverse teaching workforce, ensuring high-quality education across the Commonwealth.
Overall apprenticeship is the perfect vehicle to address these issues while allowing for an equitable and accessible pathway to meaningful careers, and long term gainful and sustainable employment.
Occupations, Pathways, and Registered Apprenticeship in PA
For an occupation to be eligible as an apprenticeable occupation it must possess all the following characteristics:
- It is customarily learned in a practical way through a structured, systematic program of on-the-job, supervised training.
- It is clearly identified and commonly recognized throughout an industry.
- It involves manual, mechanical, or technical skills and knowledge which require a minimum of2,000 hours of on-the-job work experience, not including the hours spent on related instruction.
- It requires related instruction to supplement on-the-job training. Such instruction may be given in a classroom or through correspondence courses.
- It involves the development of skill which is not restricted in application to products of any one company, but which is broad enough to be applied in like occupations throughout an industry.
For education apprenticeships, the Commonwealth has worked to develop specific occupation pathways which encompass the different grade levels and certification requirements required for certification while also encompassing the requirements from the Department of Labor and the Apprenticeship and Training Office. Each occupation has a corresponding template created with the expectation that the templates will be utilized and customized as needed.
While the purpose of the templates is to create a baseline and allow for a more streamlined registration and approval process, potential sponsors will still need to work with their assigned ATR to complete their registration packet and submit their program for review by the ATO as well as eventual approval by the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council, after working to customize the templates for their specific needs. These established occupation pathways are as follows.
Pre-Baccalaureate Pathways
This pathway focuses on apprentices that have little or no previous experience and education and is aimed at individuals who will need to complete their bachelor’s degree and obtain their teaching certification. This also allows for individuals to enter with some varying levels of experience and/or skill and gain previous credit as is deemed necessary.
- PK-4 Teacher – Pre-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses elementary apprentices earning certification for the PK-4 grade levels.
- PK-6 Teacher – Pre-Baccalaureate: This encompasses elementary apprentices earning certification for the PK-4 grade levels, and the additional certification required for the 5-6 grade levels.
- 7-12 Teacher – Pre-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for the 7-12 grade levels.
- PK-12 Special Education Teacher – Pre-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for special education.
- CTE Teacher – Pre-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for CTE.
Post Baccalaureate Pathways
This pathway focuses on apprentices that have already earned a bachelor’s degree but are not certified as a teacher.
- PK-4 Teacher – Post-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses elementary apprentices earning certification for the PK-4 grade levels.
- PK-6 Teacher – Post-Baccalaureate: This encompasses elementary apprentices earning certification for the PK-4 grade levels, and the additional certification required for the 5-6 grade levels.
- 7-12 Teacher – Post-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for the 7-12 grade levels.
- PK-12 Special Education Teacher –Post-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for special education.
- CTE Teacher –Post-Baccalaureate: This pathway encompasses apprentices earning certification for CTE.
How to get started
- Fill out the Information Request Form linked at the top of the page.
- Form Requirements
- Organization you represent
- Primary contact person
- Occupation(s) you plan on registering
- Form Requirements
- After submitting your information via the form, you will receive an Outlook meeting invite for the “Registered Apprenticeship Initial Orientation Session” on the date that you selected within the information request form. If you do not receive this invite within 3 business days, please reach out via email to the Apprenticeship and Training Office.
- If you are working with a third party to support you in building a program, please, ensure that you list the name(s) of the individual, their organization, and contact information on the information request form (this includes Apprenticeship Navigators and PA CareerLink® staff).
- Attend Registered Apprenticeship Initial Orientation Session
- Upon completion of the orientation, you will be assigned an Apprenticeship and Training Representative to assist you with next steps. This includes the registration process using the already established occupation pathways and program templates.