How to Manage RAPIDS Compliance

The U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) launched the Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System (RAPIDS) to centralize data collection for Registered Apprenticeship compliance. The RAPIDS system allows Registered Apprenticeship Sponsors to submit apprentice information electronically, making compliance workflows less tedious. 

While this system is a considerable upgrade over paper records, many Sponsors find that using an Apprenticeship Management System that integrates with RAPIDS to be a more comprehensive solution.

What is RAPIDS?

Before RAPIDS launched, the U.S. DOL managed Apprenticeships with a manual system that relied on paper documentation. Apprenticeship Sponsors filled out registration forms, Apprenticeship agreements, and other related documents and sent them to the U.S. DOL to stay compliant. This process was time-consuming, costly, and less secure than a digital system, as physical documents could be damaged, lost, or stolen.

In 2020, the U.S. DOL launched the RAPIDS system to modernize and streamline the Apprenticeship compliance workflows. With this new system, Sponsors can upload program information like apprentice demographics, registrations, and completions through an online system, making tracking easier for all parties.

4 Steps to Stay Compliant with RAPIDS

To make sure your apprenticeship program complies with all Federal regulations, there are several key steps to take when using RAPIDS.

1. Create your Account. When you start a Registered Apprenticeship program, designate someone within your organization as a RAPIDS administrator and create an account. 
2. Register New Apprentices. When hiring an apprentice, register them in RAPIDS under the appropriate Occupation & Employer.  
3. Keep Accurate Records. For each of your apprentices, make sure you have a system outside of RAPIDS for tracking required performance metrics, like On-the-Job Training (OJT), Related Technical Instruction (RTI), and Wage Progressions, to ensure your apprentices stay on track, and RAPIDS can be updated accordingly.
4. Keep RAPIDS Updated. As your apprentices exit their programs through completion, suspension, or termination, update their records in RAPIDS accordingly. 

Limitations of RAPIDS

While the release of RAPIDS was a vast improvement to the U.S. apprenticeship system, it isn’t a one-stop-shop for managing an Apprenticeship. The primary function of RAPIDS is to track participant demographics and program outcomes, allowing the U.S. DOL to understand the impact of various workforce policy decisions. RAPIDS falls short on the program management side of Registered Apprenticeship, which is required to pass random U.S. DOL audits. Tracking On-the-Job Training hours (OJT), Related Technical Instruction completion (RTI), Wage Progression, Competency Completions, and more are out of the scope of RAPIDS, leaving Sponsors to adopt their own solutions to pass audits. This is where Apprenticeship Management Software comes into play.

How Can Apprenticeship Management Software Help Keep Your Program Compliant with RAPIDS?

Apprenticeship Management Software, like ApprentiScope, can help you keep your program compliant with RAPIDS. These tools can ensure you:

• Create a Single-Source of Truth for your programs that your staff uses to report data to RAPIDS and other reporting systems. This software will track all compliance information required for RAPIDS compliance and U.S. DOL audits, making compliance a breeze.
• Monitor Progress in Real Time through real-time dashboards and reports that give you accurate and timely insights into program performance.
• Automate Data Collection by giving your stakeholders and apprentices access to the system. Monitor attendance, on-the-job training hours, and related instruction rates from within the Apprenticeship Management Software.
• Automate RAPIDS Reporting and reduce administrative time through templates designed to integrate with RAPIDS tooling. Storing these records in an Apprenticeship Management System can help you keep up with necessary reports and meet Federal regulations.

ApprentiScope’s software automates all aspects of RAPIDS compliance, from completing Form 671s to generating Disability Disclosures and updating apprentice information. 

Related Content: How Apprenticeship Sponsors Can Spend Less Time on Administrative Tasks

Takeaways

When you use Apprenticeship Management Software to maintain all program and apprentice data and upload it into U.S. DOL’s RAPIDS system, routine tasks become quick and easy.

Automated systems make record-keeping more efficient and accurate and help manage your program costs and compliance better. These tools will free up time so you can build a program that prepares employees to meet your current and future labor needs.