Every Apprenticeship has a lengthy list of goals for apprentices to meet. Accurately tracking progress toward those goals makes sure apprentices are on the right track and highlights when it’s necessary to change course.
Tracking progress On-the-Job and in the classroom requires Sponsors to maintain accurate records to ensure their apprentices stay on track as they progress. Employers with a solid process will avoid common pitfalls that erode sentiment and outcomes for their programs. One of the primary ways of tracking apprentices' progress throughout their program is with a time log.
Apprenticeship Compliance: Which Records Do You Need to Keep?
State and federal Apprenticeship agencies require sponsors to keep accurate records on apprentices according to the Standards of Apprenticeship guidelines set from the beginning of any program and the Apprentice Agreement.
Sponsors first develop Standards of Apprenticeship, which define the Apprenticeship term, the probationary period, the ratio of apprentices to mentors, the work progress schedule, the technical competencies measured, the wage schedule, and instructional components.
An Apprentice Agreement is another important record for program compliance. This agreement between the sponsor and apprentice defines the program terms, policies, and requirements.
The real heavy lift for record-keeping happens when an apprentice is hired. Sponsors must keep up-to-date apprentice records for on-the-job training (OJT), related technical instruction (RTI), and wage progression information. The records they need include:
- Mentorship hours and training opportunities
- Related instruction reviews and evaluations
- Record of job assignments
- Rates of pay and other compensation
- Work conditions and accommodation
- Hours of work and hours of provided training
The Apprenticeship Logbook is a key component of the record-keeping effort.
Keeping all these records straight can challenge even the most prepared Apprenticeship administrator. An Apprenticeship program can easily become disorganized without the right tools to stay organized and on top of U.S. Department of Labor compliance.
An Apprenticeship Management System keeps all records in a central location, simplifying tracking and making it easier to meet all Federal regulations.
What is an Apprenticeship Logbook?
An Apprenticeship Logbook is more than just a record of education and training. It’s also a guide for where an apprentice needs to go.
The Apprenticeship Logbook is a written record of an apprentice’s progress during an Apprenticeship. It records the apprentice’s completion of required in-school training, skills mastered on the job, and the total number of hours worked in the trade.
Apprentice hours depend on the overall terms of their program. The on-the-job training required in Apprenticeships can range from 1,000 to 8,000 hours and is a summation of the individual hour requirements for all competencies in the work schedule. For example, a 1,000-hour program may break into four competencies of 250 hours each.
Many companies use hours worked to track progress toward competencies. The apprentice logs hours worked and apply them toward specific competencies. For instance, the apprentice might say, “I worked two hours on competency A, three hours on competency B, and one hour on competency C today.” This strategy works well in time-based Apprenticeship programs.
Organizations without software solutions often use antiquated systems to track competencies and hours worked. But using a combination of pen and paper, spreadsheets, and emails makes it nearly impossible to keep accurate records. An Apprenticeship Management System helps companies track hours by competency to ensure apprentices master all the skills needed to perform the job after completing the Apprenticeship program.
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4 Ways to Improve Your Apprenticeship Hours Log
It's important to maintain an Apprenticeship Hours Log. It shows the skills apprentices have mastered and where they spend their time. The following suggestions can help sponsors improve the Apprenticeship Hours Log to achieve its purpose.
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Have a system. Understand how hours are tracked and put a system in place to track them.
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Distribute the work. Allowing apprentices to record hours reduces administrative overhead and increases accuracy. The Apprenticeship Management System allows apprentices to track hours from any device and keep them in a central location.
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Split hours by competency. This is critical. It helps Sponsors know when competencies are achieved and when to advance apprentices to the next competency. Make sure supervisors receive notifications about competency completion. Then, they can advance apprentices to the next competency more quickly.
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Generate reports regularly. The U.S. Department of Labor asks for random samples of apprentice hours and competency during an audit. It is difficult to find this information if the documentation is disorganized.
Related Content: 10 Records Apprenticeship Sponsors Need to Keep
Accurate Records Benefit All
Record keeping is a key component of every successful Apprenticeship program. Instead of antiquated measures, opt for a modern system that gives access to data in real-time.
An Apprenticeship Management System gives sponsors just that. Sponsors get notified immediately when an apprentice completes a competency, which means they can advance to the next job function more quickly.
This software tool also puts progress in the hands of apprentices. They can enter their hours into the system and monitor their progress in real-time, which increases accountability and overall motivation.
An Apprenticeship can span one to four years. During that time, accurate records must be kept. Detailed record-keeping keeps programs in compliance and apprentices on track throughout their Apprenticeship journey.
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