How to Build an Industry 4.0 Talent Pipeline
Every HR team in manufacturing knows the feeling. A role opens up, the posting goes live, and the applicant pool that comes back is thin, unqualified, or both. The instinct is to fix the hiring process. Write a better job description. Screen faster. Interview smarter.
But none of that solves the actual problem. There simply aren’t enough trained candidates entering the workforce to keep up with demand. How can companies find a sustainable solution to not only their hiring bottlenecks but the impending industry skills gap?
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) gives industry and education a shared language, a way for companies and schools to agree on exactly what a job-ready candidate looks like.
Finding the Future Workforce
Most hiring strategies in manufacturing are reactive by design. A role opens, a posting goes live, and HR waits to see who shows up. When the applicant pool is thin, the response is usually to widen the search radius, raise the pay rate, or loosen the requirements. None of that addresses why the pool was thin in the first place.
Reactive hiring also puts every company in direct competition for the same small group of experienced workers. That competition drives up costs and slows down time-to-fill, and it does nothing to grow the overall supply of qualified candidates. Two companies can fight over the same five applicants for months and the regional skills gap doesn’t shrink by one person.
Pipeline building works differently. Instead of competing for talent that already exists, companies help create it. Partnering with local schools means candidates show up already trained on the systems and processes your company actually use, often before they’ve applied anywhere. There’s a time, talent and treasure cost to it, but it’s lower than the cost of months-long vacancies, rushed hires, and the turnover that tends to follow them.
SACA certifications – the shared language of manufacturing skills – is the best way to build alignment between what local education is teaching in their Career and Technical Education programs, and the skills your company is hiring for.
Rob Ferguson, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Ashley Furniture Industries confirms, “As awareness grows, SACA certifications provide a valuable tool for identifying qualified candidates and aligning talent with the demands of advanced manufacturing. More broadly, increasing HR community awareness of SACA helps strengthen the pipeline of skilled, industry-ready talent.”
Steps to Build Your Pipeline
1. Identify Local SACA Members
There may already be students learning the skills you need in your community and not even know it. Take a look at our current member institutions to see if any are near you and initiate the conversation. If no one is a member, reach out to your local schools and share about SACA and how industry certifications can be beneficial to both organizations.
2. Participate in Advisory Boards
Many SACA member institutions have industry advisory boards specifically for this purpose, and they are looking for local employers to fill them. Showing up to an advisory board meeting costs a few hours a year. What it buys is influence over curriculum, early visibility with program directors, and a reputation among faculty as an employer who is invested in student outcomes. That reputation travels. Instructors remember the companies that showed up and recommend them to graduates who are ready to work.
3. Offer tours, speakers, and career fairs
Once you have your partner schools – its time to be a partner. Get the students excited about what you do. Most students will only go for careers they are exposed to, so be that exposure. Offer times for students to come in and see the innovation happening in their community. If they can’t come to you, go to them. Offer your current employees the chance to go talk directly to the community.
4. Develop internships and co-ops
Once you have established your company as a recognizable entity for students, offer to get them in the door early. Depending on the programs local to you, some may require an internship as a graduation requirement. These opportunities are a great way to get students immersed in what your company does and on a direct path to employment.
5. Create a clear hiring pathway
Clearly define what SACA certifications relate to your jobs – both entry level and beyond. This allows learners to see that the skills they are learning in school can immediately get them roles in the field. Then they can see how stacking SACA’s micro-credentials build on the skills they have and grow into promotions.
Sustainable Workforce Development
The first year of a school partnership might produce a handful of interns or one or two strong hires. That’s not the point yet. The point is what happens in year three, when a company has a relationship with multiple instructors, a standing presence at career days, and a reputation among students as a place worth applying.
At that stage, the pipeline starts running on its own. Each graduating class includes students who already hold SACA credentials, already know the company’s name, and in many cases already have program directors recommending them by name. Time-to-fill drops because the search doesn’t start from zero. Onboarding gets faster because new hires arrive with verified skills.
Building a school partnership from scratch can feel like a big lift, especially when open roles need to be filled now. But the manufacturers who have done it will tell you the same thing: the hardest part was making the first call. What came after was a lot simpler than expected, and a lot more valuable than another job posting ever would have been.
At Capital Area Career Center, students are gaining hands-on technical skills and earning SACA certifications before they ever set foot on a production floor. National manufacturers like Rivian Automotive already recognize SACA as a gold standard, which means those students aren’t just graduating with a credential. They’re graduating with proof of what they can do, backed by the same standard the industry is hiring to.
Learn 3 Reasons World-Class Manufacturers Hire Candidates with SACA Certifications.
Are you a school looking at preparing your students for a career in Industry 4.0? Learn more about Education Memberships here.
Want to learn more about the best use cases of SACA certifications across the country? Join us at the SACA National Conference August 10-11, 2026 in Menomonie, WI.
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How to Reduce Hiring Time for Automation Jobs Using Industry Certifications
You’re hiring for operators and technicians. The positions have been open for weeks. Qualified candidates are hard to find. Résumés keep coming in, but it’s difficult to tell who has real technical skills and who just knows the right terminology. A candidate looks great on paper, gets hired, and then struggles to troubleshoot a PLC, program a robot, or diagnose a control system issue.
Meanwhile, production needs support, managers are stretched thin, and every hiring mistake costs time and money.
There’s a better way to evaluate technical talent. And it starts before the first interview ever happens.
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) has built a nationally recognized credentialing system designed specifically for Industry 4.0 roles. One that tells you, before a candidate ever walks through the door, that they’ve already proven what they can do. For HR teams hiring in automation, it’s the closest thing there is to a reliable pre-screen built right into the credential itself.
Traditional Hiring Wasn’t Built for Industry 4.0
The manufacturing workforce is in the middle of a generational shift. Experienced technicians and automation specialists are retiring at a steady pace, taking decades of institutional knowledge with them. At the same time, the technology on the production floor keeps advancing. Roles that once required basic mechanical aptitude now demand fluency in robotics, complex systems, IIoT sensors, and data analytics.
Rivian’s Senior Training Instructor Ian Barnes recognizes the shift. “I think anyone that works in industry right now feels the need for highly skilled technicians with the way manufacturing is heading into Industry 4.0,” he said.
Traditional hiring processes weren’t designed for this reality. Résumés still lead with job titles and years of experience. Neither of which tells you whether someone can actually configure a robot cell or troubleshoot a sensor network on a live production line. Anyone can list “PLC programming” or “robotic systems integration” on a résumé. Far fewer can actually perform those tasks under real production conditions.
SACA certifications were built around this exact problem. Rather than taking a candidate’s word for it, SACA offers knowledge and hands-on proof of concepts. Silver certifications validate knowledge through proctored written exams. Gold certifications go further, requiring candidates to demonstrate their skills in a hands-on performance assessment observed by a certified evaluator. By the time a Gold-certified candidate lands in your applicant pool, an unbiased third party has already confirmed they can do the work.
Stop Guessing. Start Screening
SACA’s certification structure gives HR teams a practical, role-specific screening tool. Rather than a single blanket credential, SACA certifications are organized by occupation and skill level, which means you can align your job posting requirements directly to the role you’re trying to fill.
At the entry level, SACA’s four Associate certifications map cleanly to the most common automation hiring needs. C-101 covers basic production operations and is the right fit for operator roles. C-102 steps up to advanced controls, programming, and mechatronics, making it suitable for automation technician positions. C-103 is purpose-built for roles involving industrial robots, and C-104 targets candidates who will work with IIoT systems, industrial networking, and data analytics.
Beyond the Associate tier, SACA’s micro-credentials let you get even more specific. Hiring for a role that requires PLC programming? Look for C-207 Programmable Controller Systems. Need someone with variable frequency drive experience? C-203 covers it. Each micro-credential carries its own written and hands-on assessment, so whatever appears on a candidate’s credential summary is already verified by a third party.
When HR teams build SACA credentials into their hiring requirements, they shift the verification burden away from the interview process and onto a system that was specifically designed to handle it. Candidates arrive pre-screened. Technical ability is already documented. The first interview can focus on fit, growth potential, and team dynamics rather than trying to figure out whether someone actually knows what a PLC is.
At Rivian, SACA certifications play a 1-1 role in hiring and in promotions. Barnes explains, “Our technician roles are competency based so, if you present a SACA certification, that’s how you get leadership roles or upgrade in your pay scale. I think what’s unique about these [SACA] programs is that when we get [new hires] they are not only skilled with technical, but they are also ready for the workforce.”
Three Steps to Build SACA Into Your Hiring Process Now
The good news is that incorporating SACA certifications into your hiring process doesn’t require an overhaul. A few targeted changes go a long way.
Step 1: Add SACA Certifications to your job postings.
Add the relevant SACA Associate certification as a preferred or required qualification on your job postings. Even listing it as preferred tells the candidate pool that your organization takes verified skills seriously.
If you use screening tools with keyword matching or AI pre-screening, this will enable candidates with SACA certifications on their resume to rise to the top of the list.
Step 2: Tell your local educators you want candidates with SACA certifications.
If your company works with local community colleges, technical schools, or apprenticeship programs, let them know you’re hiring for SACA credentials. A conversation with a program director can get your credential requirements built directly into their curriculum pipeline. That turns your education partnerships into a long-term sourcing channel, not just a job fair relationship.
By advocating for SACA certifications, you’ll start to see them on resumes for candidates coming out of those programs.
Step 3: Create alignment between operations and HR teams around the value of SACA certifications.
Finally, share the credential framework internally with your hiring managers and technical leads. When everyone involved in the process understands what a C-101 versus a C-103 means, screening conversations get faster and offer decisions get easier.
Faster screening means shorter time-to-fill. Shorter time-to-fill means less strain on existing teams. And hiring candidates who arrive with verified, hands-on credentials means less ramp-up time and fewer early-tenure failures.
SACA certifications were built by industry, for industry. Adding them to your hiring process is one of the most practical steps an HR team can take to bring the same standard of precision to talent acquisition that your organization already demands on the production floor.
Are you interested in utilizing SACA certifications for your own company’s hiring process? Learn more about how to upskill your current employees using SACA micro-credentials. And see 3 Reasons World-Class Manufacturers Hire Candidates with SACA Certifications.
Are you a school looking at preparing your students for a career in Industry 4.0? Learn more about Education Memberships here.
Want to learn more about the best use cases of SACA certifications across the country? Join us at the SACA National Conference August 10-11, 2026 in Menomonie, WI.
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How to Upskill Current Employees in an Industry 4.0 Workforce Using Stackable Micro-Credentials
The skills your workforce needed five years ago aren’t the skills they need today. Automation is advancing faster than most organizations can respond. New technologies roll out faster than job descriptions can be updated, and HR and training teams are expected to keep employees ready for roles that didn’t exist a few years ago.
Employees want to grow, but they don’t want to disappear into months‑long training programs that pull them away from their job. They want learning that fits into their day, is directly relevant to their role, and moves their career forward. Employers want the same thing. Development that’s practical, measurable, and aligned with the technologies reshaping their operations.
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is helping HR develop standardized, clearly-defined training pathways with stackable micro-credentials. Each micro‑credential represents a specific, measurable skill, and those skills stack into broader specialties.
What are Micro-Credentials?
Micro‑credentials offer a focused way to validate an employee’s competency in a specific skill area. Each one represents a small subset of the abilities required for a broader occupation, making them quick to earn and easy to integrate into a busy work schedule. Most can be completed through training programs of 40 hours or less, giving employees a rapid way to build confidence and demonstrate progress. Assessment methods vary based on the level of mastery being measured, from online knowledge testing (SACA Silver credentials) to hands‑on performance demonstrations (SACA Gold credentials). This combination of short training time and clear, practical evaluation makes micro‑credentials an efficient tool for both learners and employers.
Micro‑credentials target immediate job needs, fit neatly into existing for‑credit courses, and can be stacked to build deeper expertise along a career pathway that leads to higher‑skill, higher‑paying roles. Because each credential is tied to standardized competencies, organizations gain consistency across instructors, campuses, and even institutions. Many micro‑credentials also apply across multiple occupations, giving employees the flexibility to move into new roles without starting over. And since they’re verified by an independent third party, employers can trust that each credential represents real, demonstrated skill.
How Stackable Micro‑Credentials Work in Practice
Putting micro‑credentials into action starts with understanding the skills your organization has as well as the ones you need. This is where structured frameworks, like SACA Specialist Certifications, become invaluable. They break complex occupations into precise skill areas, making it easier to identify gaps and choose the right starting point.
Once the priority skills are clear, the next step is selecting micro‑credentials that deliver immediate value. These might cover foundational topics such as safety, basic electrical systems, or introductory automation. Because each credential focuses on a single competency, employees can apply what they learn right away, creating quick wins that build confidence.
From there, micro‑credentials become the building blocks of a larger pathway. This creates a natural progression from entry‑level skills to advanced expertise, all without pulling employees away from their day‑to‑day responsibilities for long stretches of time.
From Operator to Specialist
To see this in theory, let’s imagine your organization just hired an entry-level Machine Operator. This employee has no experience but learns quickly and has potential to move up in responsibility. Through your company training, you can offer testing for SACA C-101 Basic Operations upon completion. This new hire completes training and earns the C-101 certification. They continue the job with the skills and competency to do it well.
Shortly after, the employee is eager to learn more and expresses interest in a promotion. With your company training, they can learn a few more skills and test for SACA C-102 Advanced Operations. This earned certification can be a step in the promotion process and this employee can earn a new job title of Machine Operator II.
The employee excels at the job and looks for more opportunities to grow within the company. Over time they are able to complete more company trainings and earn several more SACA certifications like Electrical Systems (C-201), Electrical Motor Control Systems (C-202), and Variable Frequency Drive Systems (C-203). Completing those certifications, as well as C-204 through C-208, the employee is able to earn their Control Systems Specialist Certification. The company is able to promote the employee to a PLC Programmer.
The Benefits of Stackable, Mico-Credentials
Micro‑credentials have become one of the most practical tools HR leaders can use to keep pace with a rapidly changing workforce. They give employees a way to build skills in manageable steps, create momentum through steady progress, and open doors to new roles without requiring long stretches away from the job. For organizations, they bring clarity, consistency, and a far more agile approach to developing talent.
As technology continues to reshape every corner of the workplace, the companies that thrive will be the ones that invest in flexible, competency‑based learning. Micro‑credentials offer a practical, scalable way to do exactly that. They help organizations stay ahead of change, support employee advancement, and build a stronger, more resilient workforce ready for whatever comes next.
Are you interested in utilizing SACA certifications for your own company’s training? Learn more about Industry Memberships here. And see 3 Reasons World-Class Manufacturers Hire Candidates with SACA Certifications.
Are you a school looking at preparing your students for a career in Industry 4.0? Learn more about Education Memberships here.
Learn more about how SACA certifications are designed for industry, by industry.
Want to learn more about the best use cases of SACA certifications across the country? Join us at the SACA National Conference August 10-11, 2026 in Menomonie, WI.
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MxD and SACA Launch Partnership of Co-Developed Micro-Credentials to Strengthen the Future Manufacturing Workforce
Chicago, IL – December 16, 2025 – MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) has partnered with the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) to co-develop three new credentials aligned with MxD’s Curriculum and Pathways Integrating Technology and Learning (CAPITAL) courses. These industry-recognized credentials, now entering a pilot phase, will allow learners to transform their training into nationally portable, employer-driven certifications that demonstrate real-world skills in advanced manufacturing.
These three MxD + SACA Joint Micro-Credentials are aligned directly to MxD’s CAPITAL courses on its Virtual Training Center (VTC) and include:
- Data Annotation- Prepares individuals to collect, organize, label, and validate datasets used in training artificial intelligence and machine learning models, with a focus on manufacturing applications.
- Manufacturing Analytics- Prepares individuals to collect, clean, format, analyze, visualize, and interpret manufacturing data to support decision-making in Industry 4.0 environments.
- Pre-Metaverse Integration Technology- Prepares individuals to plan, implement, and optimize extended reality (XR) technologies—including AR, VR, MR—in manufacturing environments.
“By partnering with SACA, MxD is ensuring that the skills learners build in the Virtual Training Center lead to nationally portable industry-recognized credentials that will help them advance their careers,” said Lizabeth Stuck, VP government affairs and MxD Learn. “These credentials verify that learners can demonstrate job-ready competencies, while providing employers confidence that their workforce is prepared to meet the demands of today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing environment.”
These credentials reflect SACA’s mission to expand access to affordable, modular Industry 4.0 certifications, ensuring workers are prepared for success in the digital manufacturing era and employers have access to the skilled talent they need and are:
- Industry-Driven: Developed with direct input from U.S. manufacturers, ensuring alignment with in-demand skills.
- Career-Boosting: Credentials demonstrate technical competencies that go beyond course completion, setting candidates apart in the job market.
- Portable & Stackable: Recognized nationwide, these micro credentials can be added to résumés, LinkedIn profiles, and job applications. They also stack with future credentials, creating a clear pathway for advancement in Industry 4.0 careers.
The pilot will focus on SACA Silver-level certifications, awarded to individuals who successfully pass a written, virtual knowledge assessment.
“SACA is proud to collaborate with collaborate with MxD, whose expertise as the nation’s digital manufacturing institute ensures that credentials are directly aligned with the skills employers need,” said James Wall, Executive Director at SACA. “Together, we are expanding access to industry-driven certifications in emerging technologies — demonstrating how modular, nationally recognized credentials can empower learners and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing workforce.”
Manufacturers interested in participating in this pilot can sign up at: https://vtc.mxdusa.org/
About MxD
MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) advances economic prosperity and national security by strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness through technology innovation, workforce development, and cybersecurity preparedness. In partnership with the Department of Defense, we convene an ecosystem to solve critical manufacturing challenges by accelerating digital adoption, empowering a skilled workforce, and modernizing supply chains. MxD is also the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing as designated by DoD. Visit mxdusa.org to learn more.
CAPITAL is sponsored by Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, PA, and the Defense Logistics Agency, Ft. Belvoir, VA.
About SACA
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and deploying affordable, modular Industry 4.0 certifications to prepare individuals for success in an advanced manufacturing world while ensuring employers have access to the skilled talent they need.
Media Contact:
Mackie Hill
MxD, Marketing and Communications Manager
312-281-6872
mackie.hill@mxdusa.org
- Published in News
3 Reasons World-Class Manufacturers Hire Candidates with SACA Certifications
SACA certifications are the gold standard for Industry 4.0 talent, so if you’re not hiring from SACA-aligned programs, you’re already behind. Learn why world-class industrial employers are making SACA certifications a hiring priority.
Finding skilled talent in manufacturing and industrial sectors is harder than ever. As an employer, you need to see more than a resume. You need candidates who can demonstrate real-world skills, industry alignment, and a commitment to continuous learning. But how can you be sure a candidate has the skills you value?
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is the new standard across technical certifications. Built with industry at the table, SACA certifications are designed to meet the needs of modern employers who demand both knowledge and hands-on ability from their workforce. Whether you’re hiring for advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, or smart systems integration, SACA credentials offer a reliable signal of a candidate’s workforce readiness.
That’s why leading manufacturers like Amazon, Rockwell Automation, Ashley Furniture, Hershey, FANUC, Boeing, and hundreds of others have gotten involved with SACA. If you’re in HR, workforce development, or technical hiring and not asking for SACA credentials on your job postings, you’re missing out on the most job-ready candidates in advanced manufacturing.
1. Built by Industry, for Industry
SACA certifications are industry-driven, developed by industry, for industry. Every credential begins with the creation of international skill standards, endorsed by experts in Industry 4.0 technologies from around the world. Topics range from robotics and IoT to process control, electrical systems, semiconductor operations, and many more. This ensures every credential reflects the real-world competencies demanded by today’s advanced manufacturing environments.
SACA certifications are developed in accordance with ISO 17024 standards, the global benchmark for personnel certification. This means they’re not just well-designed, but they’re also credible, consistent, and globally-recognized.
All certifications, after initial topic selection, go through a technical work group. These groups are responsible for defining the competencies, tasks, and performance standards that each certification will assess. These work groups are made up of industry professionals who lead manufacturing and technical teams and are experts in the topic area. This ensures that every certification reflects current technologies, tools, and workflows used in industry.
The input from these work groups guarantees that SACA credentials are not only technically rigorous but also immediately relevant to employers. And because SACA updates its certifications annually, they stay aligned with the latest technologies and tools.
2. Based on Knowledge AND Hands-On Skills
One of the most powerful aspects of SACA certifications is their dual-level structure: Silver and Gold. This tiered approach is designed to build employer confidence by validating both what a person knows and what they can do.
- Silver SACA certifications validate a candidate’s understanding of key concepts, terminology, and systems. A Silver certification signals that an individual has a solid grasp of the technical landscape and has a strong foundation and understanding of the technology.
- Gold SACA certifications go a step further by requiring candidates to demonstrate their skills in a hands-on environment. Proctored only by other gold-certified SACA earners, these certifications give credibility and proof of a professional’s experience.
Most credentials fall short because they don’t require candidates to physically demonstrate their abilities. SACA fills that gap. Its dual-level structure and performance-based assessments make it one of the most robust certification models in the industry. And because SACA is a third-party, nationally recognized credentialing body, employers can trust that its standards are impartial, consistent, and aligned with the needs of modern manufacturing.
3. Stackable, Modular, and Occupationally-Aligned
SACA certifications are built to scale. Whether you’re hiring entry-level technicians or developing advanced engineers, the stackable structure allows professionals to build their credentials over time.
Learners can begin with a single certification and build upon it, adding new credentials that reflect their growing expertise and evolving career goals. This modular design allows individuals to customize their learning path and document a wide range of skills, all while staying aligned with the demands of modern Industry 4.0 workplaces.
Unlike generic training programs, SACA certifications are occupationally-focused. That means each Specialist and Professional certification is tied to a specific job role or function within the smart manufacturing ecosystem. Whether someone is preparing for a role in industrial maintenance, systems design, or data-driven optimization, SACA certifications ensure that the skills being assessed are directly applicable to real-world tasks. This occupational alignment helps workforce leaders identify talent that’s not only technically capable but also strategically positioned to contribute to high-tech production environments.
SACA’s microcredentials are divided into core and elective categories and offered at silver and gold levels. Core micro-credentials certify skills that are applicable to all companies, while elective micro-credentials can be added to match with regional or specific company needs.
These micro-credentials can stack into full specialist or professional certifications. Specialist certifications are keyed to a skilled occupation and certify technical skills in operations, troubleshooting, programming, maintenance, and systems integration. Professional certifications are engineering certifications that focus on analysis, design, and optimization of Industry 4.0 systems.
This modular format makes SACA ideal for scalable workforce development. You can upskill employees incrementally, tailor training to your equipment, and build career pathways that align with your operational goals.
Tap Into the Talent Pipeline
Employers shouldn’t wait for certified professionals to show up at their door. Across the country, high schools, technical colleges, and workforce training centers are building SACA-aligned labs and integrating SACA certifications into their programs. These institutions are producing graduates who are ready to contribute from day one. By partnering with these schools, employers can build direct hiring pipelines, offer internships, and even shape training to match their equipment and processes.
By engaging with SACA-certified programs, employers can shape the future of their workforce. Many schools with SACA labs welcome industry partnerships, offering opportunities to host facility tours or provide guest speaking sessions. These collaborations help students gain familiarity with your company that can be top of mind when having conversations about their futures. Employers who invest early in these relationships gain first access to top talent and build long-term pipelines of skilled professionals who are already aligned with their company’s standards and technologies.
Hire with Confidence and Lead with Capability
Developed by industry professionals, validated through hands-on performance, and organized into stackable microcredentials, SACA certifications align directly with the needs of modern production environments.
SACA certified candidates are showing up with validated skills, hands-on experience, and a clear understanding of the technologies shaping modern manufacturing.
Looking for a place to start? Here are easy ways to take advantage of SACA-certified talent:
- Start adding SACA certifications on your job postings.
- Find a SACA school near you: https://www.saca.org/member-institutions/
- Have your company become a SACA member: https://www.saca.org/industry-membership-benefits/. This way, you can certify your own employees.
- Stay up to date on current and new certifications: https://www.saca.org/smart-automation-certifications/
- Get involved in a technical work group to have your voice heard in the creation of new credentials.
In a world where technology evolves fast and talent is a competitive edge, SACA makes workforce development both practical and powerful. The companies already hiring for SACA know this, and if you’re not, you’re leaving talent on the table.
- Published in News
Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs: IRAPs Promise New Opportunities
LOUISVILLE, KY—OCTOBER 14, 2020
Industries across the United States have been struggling for years to fill open positions with qualified workers. Despite widespread recognition of the problems industries face, the skills gap has continued to widen.
Rather than bringing new solutions, 2020 instead saw a global pandemic make an already-tough jobs situation worse. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, millions of American workers have lost their jobs, many of them permanently.
As the U.S. seeks to recover from “the most devastating economic crisis since the Great Depression,” there is no shortage of problems that must be addressed and solutions that need to be formulated. How effective those solutions are will dictate the speed and scope of economic recovery.
Unlike past economic recovery initiatives that often pushed people toward college degrees, experts believe that our current economic recovery from the COVID-19 Recession must instead focus on practical skill development for jobs industries need. To that end, community colleges and skills training may play a critical role.
Another potential solution with a proven track record of success is apprenticeship. In fact, many believe new industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (IRAPs) will provide fresh opportunities for both American workers and industries that desperately need skilled talent. How? IRAPs will expand the use of the apprenticeship model to industries that haven’t used it or have underutilized it in the past.
What Are IRAPs?
So what exactly are IRAPs anyway? According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Apprenticeship.gov website:
“Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs are high-quality apprenticeship programs recognized as such by a Standards Recognition Entity (SRE) pursuant to the DOL’s standards. These programs provide individuals with opportunities to obtain workplace-relevant knowledge and progressively advancing skills. IRAPs include a paid-work component and an educational component and result in an industry-recognized credential. An IRAP is developed or delivered by entities such as trade and industry groups, corporations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, unions, and joint labor-management organizations.”
For example, the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) was recognized as one of 18 initial organizations designated as an SRE by the DOL on September 23, 2020. SACA may now evaluate and recognize IRAPs consistent with DOL standards.
What are those standards? According to the DOL’s IRAP Fact Sheet, high-quality IRAPs must meet the following 10 requirements:
- Paid Work
- Written Training Plan
- Written Apprenticeship Agreement
- Specialized Knowledge and Experience
- Safety
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Credit for Prior Knowledge
- Mentorship
- Industry-Recognized Credentials
- Disclosure of Costs and Fees.
When Were IRAPs Created?
IRAPs are a relatively-new solution in the area of workforce development. Their history can be traced back to June 15, 2017, when President Trump issued an Executive Order to Expand Apprenticeships in America.
According to a DOL press release, the order established the 20-member Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, which was “headed by the Secretary of Labor and co-chaired by the Secretaries of Commerce and Education.”
The DOL’s IRAP Fact Sheet notes that the president’s order “directed the Secretary to consider proposing regulations that promote the development of apprenticeship programs by third parties…especially in sectors where apprenticeship programs are insufficient.”
The Task Force subsequently recommended the establishment of IRAPs in May 2018. Eventually, as the IRAP Fact Sheet notes:
“To address America’s skills gap and to rapidly increase the availability of high-quality apprenticeship programs in sectors where apprenticeship opportunities are not widespread, the [DOL] has issued a Final Rule that establishes a system for advancing the development of high-quality IRAPs.”
IRAPs then became official when new regulations took effect on May 11, 2020.
How Do IRAPs Differ from Traditional Apprenticeships?
According to a recent Forbes article by Ryan Craig:
“For years, policy makers have struggled with the question of how to expand apprenticeships from traditional blue collar building and industrial trades to fast-growing sectors like technology, healthcare, and professional services. On a per capita basis, the U.S. is far behind other nations: Germany has nearly 20x as many apprentices, and the UK has 14x.”
Craig further notes that the goal of IRAPs is:
“to increase the number of actual American apprentices from 500,000 to 5 million by decentralizing apprenticeship authority from the DOL to hundreds of third party IRAP authorizers [SREs]…The expectation is that while DOL registered apprenticeships are infamous for the amount of paperwork required, IRAPs will be much less onerous and therefore more popular.”
Rather than taking apprenticeships in an entirely new direction, IRAPS are “intended to run in tandem with the department’s long-established registered apprenticeship program,” according to an article from the Community College Daily website. Indeed, the DOL’s IRAP FAQ clearly notes:
“IRAPs and RAPs [Registered Apprenticeship Programs] will work on parallel tracks with the support of the Department. The Registered Apprenticeship system has produced successful results in many industries for over 80 years and it will continue to do so. The industry-led, market-driven approach outlined in the IRAP final rule will give employers and other stakeholders the additional flexibility necessary to expand the apprenticeship model into new industries where registered programs are less prevalent and to address the diverse workforce needs of different industries and occupations. IRAPs provide a new apprenticeship pathway that lets industry organizations take the lead in identifying high-quality apprenticeship programs and opportunities based on the needs in their industry.”
Consistent with the goal of expanding the apprenticeship model to new industries, one notable difference between IRAPs and RAPs is that SREs are prohibited from recognizing IRAPs in the construction industry. According to article by Katie Spiker from the National Skills Coalition:
“This carve out was…the subject of a massive campaign by the building trades unions…According to proponents of the construction industry exclusion, and the Department in their justification of excluding construction in the final IRAP rule, the fact that the majority of U.S. apprenticeships are in the construction industry is evidence the model is effective for the industry and that expanding IRAPs to construction is not necessary to meet the goal of expanding apprenticeships in the U.S.”
Who Will Benefit from IRAPs?
The DOL clearly outlines a set of expected benefits to both workers and businesses in its IRAP Fact Sheet. For businesses, the DOL expects IRAPs to:
- provide an additional pathway to assist career seekers and job creators;
- serve the needs of business by expanding apprenticeships across more industries;
- use innovative, industry-driven approaches to scale a proven workforce education model;
- allow more flexibility to design apprenticeship programs that meet business needs; and
- supply an immediate pool of workers for today and skilled talent for tomorrow.
For workers, IRAPs are expected to:
- offer opportunities to earn and learn, while obtaining valuable, portable, industry-recognized, competency-based credentials;
- provide training in standards that are developed by the industry, ensuring an apprentice develops the skillset needed for career success;
- increase the opportunities for apprenticeship programs across all sectors in the economy; and
- provide an alternative to college for finding career success that allows workers to obtain high paying jobs without going into debt.
Katie Spiker echoes the view that both workers and businesses should benefit from IRAPs: “The IRAP initiative is evidence of the need to modernize apprenticeship, expand access to workers to earn industry-recognized credentials and allow businesses to play more of a role in helping tailor the kind of training their workers receive to meet their specific needs.”
While traditional registered apprenticeship programs have been successful for years, Roy Maurer notes in a recent article for SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, that “only about 0.2 percent of the U.S. workforce has taken advantage of the programs, primarily in trades and construction.” The DOL believes IRAPs “will effectively expand apprenticeship in telecommunications, health care, cybersecurity and other sectors where it’s currently not widely used.”
Rachel Greszler, senior policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation, believes the benefits to workers are clear:
“The [IRAPs] rule is an important step in opening up more nontraditional and affordable education opportunities that could particularly benefit younger Americans who have been left behind by America’s higher-education system, as well as current workers who have been negatively impacted by changes in industry and technology. It’s not in everyone’s best interest to pursue an expensive four-year college education, and these types of apprenticeships make it possible for individuals to obtain the education they need for a promising career without taking on debt, and instead, actually being paid in the process.”
As U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia summarized in a DOL press release:
“As workers seek to reenter the workforce following the economic disruption caused by coronavirus, [IRAPs] and the SREs that recognize them will provide new opportunities for Americans to earn a living while learning the skills needed in a changing job market.”
Where Can I Learn More About IRAPs?
According to Ryan Craig:
“There are millions of unemployed workers whose jobs are unlikely to return once the pandemic subsides. So one of the most important policy questions in America today is how they’ll find paths back to work…If there is an answer, apprenticeships will almost certainly play a leading role.”
If you want to learn more about IRAPs and the SREs who will be helping to bring them to life, be sure to check out the DOL’s Apprenticeship.gov website. The latest information and developments will be posted there as IRAPs take shape and begin to fulfill the goal of expanding apprenticeships into new industries while helping workers gain new skills.
- Published in News
