Standards of Apprenticeship
VERMONT STATE APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
STANDARDS OF APPRENTICESHIP For the Trade of Child Care Development Specialist
SIC Code DOT Number & Symbol
8300 359.342 – 540/0840
Formulated by
THE VERMONT CHILD CARE INDUSTRY & CAREERS COUNCIL, INC. in cooperation with the VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION
The VERMONT STATE APPRENTICESHIP COUNCIL and the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUREAU OF APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING
and adopted by
______
Sponsor
FOREWORD
It has been recognized by this sponsor that in order to develop skilled child care professionals there must be a well-developed plan of training on the job supplemented with related theoretical instruction. This recognition has resulted in the development of this apprenticeship program in accordance with the Standards of Apprenticeship as recommended by the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council (SAC) and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.
It is the desire of this sponsor to cooperate with the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council and the U.S. Department of Labor in the training of apprentices, and to assure the apprentices that if they diligently apply themselves they will be afforded an opportunity to become skilled professionals in the occupation.
DEFINITIONS
Sponsor – the apprentice’s employer responsible for providing on-the-job training in the related trade and who has agreed to do so by signing an agreement, accepting all other requirements of the apprenticeship program standards of operation regarding the registered apprenticeship program.
Council - shall mean members of the VT Child Care Industry & Careers Council, Inc. engaged in developing related instruction and general management of the child care apprenticeship program in Vermont.
Apprentice – shall mean an employed person at least 18 years of age, who is engaged in learning the trade through appropriately supervised work experience and related classroom instruction and who has entered into a written Apprenticeship Agreement with the sponsor and the registration agency.
Mentor- a person working in the child care industry who meets the requirements of a skilled worker qualified to supervise an apprentice as agreed to by the Sponsor and the VT Child Care Industry and Careers Council, Inc. These requirements will most often include a Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Development or a related field and a minimum of three years successful experience in a full-day and full-year licensed child care program. Other qualifications may include an Associate’s Degree, a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or a Certificate of Completion for the trade of Child Care Development Specialist. The Mentor also agrees to participate within the defined guidelines of the Vermont Child Care Apprenticeship Program.
Standards of Apprenticeship – shall mean this entire document, including these definitions, and all information contained on the Apprenticeship Agreement.
Registration Agency – shall mean the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council.
Apprenticeship Agreement – shall mean the written agreement between the apprentice, the sponsor and the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council, in which the terms and conditions of the apprenticeship are set forth. Each agreement shall contain a clause which makes the standards part of the agreement. The Agreements will be registered with the registration agency.
Apprenticeship Program Representative – shall mean the person designated by the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council to service this program.
SECTIONITERM OF APPRENTICESHIP
The term of apprenticeship in the trade of Child Care Development Specialist shall be 4000 hours of training on the job and a recommended 144 hours of related theoretical education for each 2,000 hours of training on the job, totaling 297 hours upon completion of 4,000 hours.
SECTIONIIPROBATIONARY PERIOD
A probationary period of 500 hours, following the effective date of the apprenticeship agreement, is established for all apprentices. During the probationary period, either the sponsor or the apprentice may cancel the apprenticeship agreement by notifying the other parties. All hours worked during the probationary period will be credited to the apprentice at the successful completion of the probationary period.
After the probationary period, the agreement may be canceled at the request of the apprentice, or may be suspended, canceled, or terminated by the sponsor, for good cause, with due notice to the apprentice and a reasonable opportunity for corrective action. In such cases, the sponsor will provide written notice to the apprentice and to the registration agency of the final action taken.
SECTIONIIICREDIT FOR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Apprentices who have previous training in the trade and/or education in the field may receive credit toward the term of apprenticeship. For first time apprentices, the amount of credit is recommended, to the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council, by the sponsor with a recommendation from the VT Child Care Industry & Careers Council for approval. This request will be submitted after the sponsor has had adequate opportunity to observe the apprentice in the work environment.
Apprentices granted credit for previously acquired experience, training or skills, shall be awarded credit on an equal basis with commensurate wages for any progressive step so granted. The maximum number of hours of credit will rarely exceed 50 percent of the total term of apprenticeship. Credit for previous experience in another registered apprenticeship program may be granted on an hour-for-hour basis.
SECTIONIVCONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT
The sponsor intends and expects to give the apprentice continuous employment and will use its best efforts to keep the apprentice employed during the full term of apprenticeship. If any apprentice is temporarily released due to business conditions, he/she shall be given the opportunity to be reinstated before any additional apprentice is employed. The apprentice will receive credit for any approved related instruction obtained during that layoff.
SECTIONVSUPERVISION OF APPRENTICES
The apprentice shall be under the daily supervision of the mentor with whom he/she will work, and under the general supervision of the employer/sponsor whose duty it shall be to see that the apprentice receives the work experience and related instruction outlined in these Standards.
SECTIONVIPERIODIC EVALUATION
The apprentice shall be evaluated regularly, in the course of performing his/her job and before each period of advancement, by his/her mentor to determine progress. All progress reports and evaluations shall be documented and maintained by the sponsor for a minimum of five years.
SECTIONVIIRATIO OF APPRENTICES
The number of apprentices to be employed shall not exceed the current ratio approved by the Vermont Apprenticeship Council. The ratio is as follows:
One-to-one for the first four mentors employed by the child care program and one additional apprentice for every three mentors thereafter.
MENTORSAPPRENTICES
1 1
22
33
44
5 4
64
SECTIONVIIIAPPRENTICESHIP AGREEMENT
There shall be an individual, written Apprenticeship Agreement between the sponsor and each apprentice, which will be approved by the State Apprenticeship Council.
Every Apprenticeship Agreement entered into under these Standards shall contain a clause making the Standards a part of the Agreement, and for this reason all parties to the Agreement shall be given copies of the Agreement and the Standards.
Before signing the Apprenticeship Agreement, the Standards and the Agreement will be read by the parties and the meaning and intent discussed.
The Apprenticeship Agreement shall be signed by all appropriate parties. After the Agreement is signed, it will be approved by, and registered with, the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council.
SECTION IXAPPRENTICE QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants for apprenticeship shall possess the following minimum qualifications:
1.Be at least 18 years of age.
2.Be physically and mentally able to carry out the duties listed in his/her job description.
3.Evidence of high school diploma or GED.
4.In addition to 1 through 3.above, the apprentice must meet all regulatory requirements of the State of Vermont Child Care Services Division including a criminal records check.
SECTIONXSELECTION PROCEDURE
The recruitment, selection, employment and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or occupationally irrelevant physical or mental impairments. The sponsor will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council Rules.
Sponsors with 5 or more apprentices shall institute a formal, written Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Plan with the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council as required by the U.S. Department of Labor.
SECTIONXIEQUAL OPPORTUNITY PLEDGE
“The recruitment, selection, employment, and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship, shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin or sex.” The sponsor takes affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 30, and equal employment opportunity regulations of the State of Vermont.
SECTIONXIIHOURS OF WORK
Apprentices engaged in on-the-job training shall be under the direction of a mentor. The hours of work for apprentices shall be the same as those for mentors in the occupation covered by these standards and in conformity with State and Federal Laws. In assigning work to apprentices, however, due consideration shall be given to the variety of operations necessary to develop their occupational skills. Overtime will not interfere with attendance at related instruction classes, unless arrangements for make-up of missed instruction is provided.
SECTIONXIIIAPPRENTICE WAGE SCHEDULE
The employer agrees to pay the apprentice a progressively increasing wage scale over the entire period of the apprenticeship as well as establishing a program completion or “fully trained” rate. These rates are paid by the employer.
Time in HoursPay Rate Per Hour
1st ______(hours)______
2nd ______(hours)______
3rd ______(hours)______
4th ______(hours)______
Note: Sponsors need only complete the number of pay steps that they have established for their Apprenticeship Programs.
The above pay rates are based on a program completion Rate of ______/hour
SECTIONXIVSCHEDULE OF WORK PROCESSES
The apprentice shall receive instruction and work experience in all aspects of the occupation as listed on the Work Processes attached and made part of these Standards. To permit the flexibility necessary to the sponsor's normal business operation, the work experience need not be in the precise order as listed, nor do the scheduled hours on any operation need to be continuous. Training hours for individual apprentices shall be recorded and maintained for each category in the work process. See Appendix A1.
SECTIONXVRELATED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
Apprentices employed under these standards shall be required to attend school classes in subjects related to the occupation for approximately 144 hours per year, for each 2000 hours of their apprenticeship totaling 297 hours upon completion of 4,000 hours. See “Related Instruction” Appendix B.
“The apprentice may, or may not, be compensated for hours spent in related instruction classes which are outside of regular working hours at the discretion of the sponsor.
Where instruction is not available locally, other forms of related education may be substituted if approved by the Registration Agency. Alternative education plans must cover material equivalent to the content of the related instruction outline and must include a mechanism to verify satisfactory understanding of instruction content.
Apprentices shall maintain a passing grade of at least (C-) in related instruction in order to advance to the next level. See Appendix B Related Instruction for details.
In case of failure, without due cause, on the part of the apprentice to fulfill his/her obligations as to school attendance and conduct, the sponsor may take necessary disciplinary action.
Apprentices will be provided with information and/or training relating to sexual harassment in the workplace.
SourceRegistration Agency/_/
Sponsor/_/
Other/_/
SECTIONXVISAFETY
The sponsor shall provide adequate and safe facilities and equipment for training and supervision. Apprentices shall receive instruction in accident prevention and safe working conditions and practices during their entire term of apprenticeship. Such instruction shall be provided both on the job and in the related instruction program.
SECTIONXVIIRECORDS
Records of the apprentice's work experience and related instruction shall be kept by the Sponsor. The apprentice shall submit his/her training log on a regular basis to the Supervising Teacher, showing work completed and classes attended. The Supervising Teacher shall verify the hours and evaluate, in writing, the apprentice's progress. Hours and progress reports shall be maintained by the Sponsor.
For compensation purposes, a record of hours worked and confirmation of participation in related instruction must be submitted monthly to the Vermont Child Care Services Division. See appendices A and A1.
The sponsor shall maintain for a period of five years all records pertaining to the operation of this program, including but not limited to records on the recruitment and selection of apprentices, and records on individual apprentices' job assignments, promotions, demotions, layoffs, terminations, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, hours of work and training, evaluations, and other relevant data. All such records shall be made available to the Apprenticeship Program Representative and the Child Care Services Division’s Program Representative upon request.
SECTIONXVIIIREPORTS
In addition to the records noted in Section XVII, The sponsor shall report to the Registration Agency, with 30 calendar days, in the event of any change in the status of any apprentice (resignations, layoffs, terminations, completions) or in the administration of the program.
SECTIONXIXREGISTRATION OF PROGRAM
These Standards shall be submitted to the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council for approval. Such approval is required before implementation of this program.
SECTIONXXMODIFICATIONS, CANCELLATION AND DEREGISTRATION
These Standards of Apprenticeship may, at any time be amended by the sponsor provided such amendments are approved by the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council (i.e. graduated wage schedule or probationary period). Such changes shall not apply to existing Apprenticeship Agreements without the consent of all the parties to the agreement, including the apprentice.
Cancellation and deregistration of the program may be accomplished voluntarily through a written request from the Sponsor to the Registration Agency, or by formal deregistration proceedings, under reasonable cause, by the registration agency instituting formal deregistration proceedings in accordance with the provisions of Vermont State Apprenticeship Council Rules.
SECTIONXXIDISPOSITION OF COMPLAINTS
Disagreements between apprentices and the sponsor should be resolved, if possible, between the apprentices and the sponsor. If there is no resolution on this level, the parties shall consult with the apprenticeship representative servicing this program and/or the State’s Apprenticeship Division Director in Montpelier.
If the complaint is still not resolved, any party to the Apprenticeship Agreement may bring the complaint before the State Apprenticeship Council, Chair, Vermont State Apprenticeship Council, c/o VT Department of Employment and Training, P.O. Box 488, Montpelier, VT 05601-0488.) The SAC will hear and consider all complaints, and make such rulings, as it deems appropriate. Any party to the Apprenticeship Agreement may consult with the State Apprenticeship Council at any time for interpretations of any provision of the Standards or Agreements under dispute.
SECTIONXXIIUNION AGREEMENTS
Nothing in these standards shall be interpreted as being inconsistent with existing or subsequent bargaining agreements between the sponsor and a union.
SECTIONXXIIICERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon satisfactory completion of all requirements of the apprenticeship program, the Sponsor shall recommend to the Approving Agency that a State Certificate of Completion be awarded. Documentation of on-the-job training and all related instruction (content and hours) shall be included with such a request.
STANDARDS OF APPRENTICESHIP for the Trade of
Child Care Development Specialist
SIGNATURES
Name of Sponsor: ______
Address: ______
______
______
Signature, TitleDate
For the Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council, Inc.
______
Signature, TitleDate
Approved and Registered with the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council
______
Secretary, Vermont State Date
Apprenticeship Council