Workforce Happenings

The Alabama Office of Apprenticeship (AOA) has recently launched an interactive dashboard to promote registered apprenticeship expansion in Alabama. Developed in partnership with the University of Alabama Education Policy Center, this multipurpose dashboard is one of the first in the country to provide a diverse set of stakeholders with a one-stop-shop to explore current registered apprenticeships at the state level. The tool also gives users the opportunity to learn about all of the apprenticeable and in-demand occupations for which a program can be built.

The AOA has greatly anticipated the launch of this site and is excited to share it with the public. “We are proud of the work that the University of Alabama Education Policy Center (EPC) has done to create an innovative tool that will help all Alabamians access apprenticeship opportunities,” said Josh Laney, Director of the AOA. “This one-of-a-kind dashboard is another example of how Alabama is striving to provide high-quality customer service to our employers in meeting their workforce needs, as well as expanding career pathways for our citizens.”

“It is a privilege for this Center and The University of Alabama to be of service to business and state leaders working to achieve Governor Kay Ivey’s important goal of 500,000 more Alabamians with recognized credentials and certificates by 2025,” said Dr. Steve Katsinas, EPC Director. “Helping more Alabamians into better jobs is good for our state and nation, and that is exactly what the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship is doing.”

The tool was created to provide useful, up-to-date information for anyone interested in apprenticeship, including students, parents, training providers, workforce agencies, and employers. For employers, this dashboard offers an ability to search potential apprenticeship opportunities applicable to their company. On the other hand, high school students can use it to explore local apprenticeship opportunities for which they can apply. Better still is that all of this information and more can be accessed interactively, through tools like a point-and-click map, or statically through downloadable tables and exported graphics. That way, users of the dashboard can view the information they want, however they want.

So far the AOA team has shared a beta version of the dashboard with workforce partners across Alabama who could benefit from its existence. Among the first to benefit were the Alabama Career Center staff who work with job seekers and employers. Recently, a focus group of apprenticeship employers has been included in the beta to review the dashboard’s effectiveness as a promotional tool for their programs at both the local and state level.

The dashboard can be found on the AOA’s website (www.alapprentice.org). To take full advantage of what the dashboard has to offer, it is recommended that new users check out the instructional videos and user documentation found on the website. If further assistance is needed, or if you are interested in learning more about an apprenticeship program in your area, please contact your local AOA project manager at alapprentice.org/contact/. If you have any feedback or additional questions, please contact the AOA at info@alapprentice.org .