Department of Labor (DOL)-approved Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) are not a new concept. Many industries that are considered “skilled trades” utilize RAPs as a tool for a better-trained and professionalized workforce.

A participant in a Registered Apprenticeship Program arborist training at Openlands, based in Chicago. Photos by Eduardo Cornejo, courtesy of the author.

The U.S. DOL defines a RAP as “an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, receive progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential.” The main differences between a RAP and other workforce training programs are that the industry creates and approves the program standards for a RAP, and there are many benefits for both employers and apprentices that are specific to RAPs. A RAP allows employers and industry professionals to determine what is necessary for someone to learn to become skilled at their trade.

There are thousands of RAPs in the construction, manufacturing, mechanical and electrical trades, in which participants take time to learn individual skills on their way to becoming proficient. These professions use RAPs to document training and require specific credentials and certifications. Nationwide, more than 500,000 individuals are currently enrolled in these programs. According to the US Department of Labor, there are nearly 27,000 registered apprenticeship programs active across the nation (2021 data). Yet today there are fewer than 100 RAPs for arboriculture.

As an industry that also values training and requires time for learning the various skills needed to effectively and efficiently get work done, why is the tree care industry not utilizing this tool and resource to build a stronger workforce?

Successful programs
Openlands, a non-profit organization based in Chicago, is leading this initiative in Illinois as the sponsor of the only Registered Apprenticeship Program for arboriculture in the state. Openlands provides one year of education and on-the-job training opportunities for apprentices before pairing them with regional employer partners, which include tree care companies, arboretums and municipalities. Apprentices receive about 5,400 hours of on-the-job training and work experience, plus 440 hours of related instruction and technical training.

In addition to Openlands, the Wisconsin Arborist Registered Apprenticeship is a great example of a successful and well-established program that requires collaboration across the industry. Companies across the state can register as their own sponsor and employer with the Wisconsin DOL and enroll employees in the RAP. The city of Milwaukee also participates and has used a RAP as the model for developing a robust workforce to take care of its trees.

How RAPs can help tree care
Why is registered apprenticeship an important tool for the tree care industry? Well, RAPs can help solve some of the issues the tree care industry is facing when it comes to the workforce. Here are some of the issues we face as an industry and how RAPs can help solve them

• Workforce shortage – The tree care industry is growing and there is higher demand for better-trained workers. Employers are having difficulty hiring quality candidates.
• A RAP can provide entry-level opportunities coupled with structured training and curriculum, leading to better-trained and -skilled workers. RAPs also open avenues for recruitment through DOL and workforce-development partners.
  Industry visibility – There is a general lack of awareness and understanding of the career pathways in tree care. Many people do not realize the many opportunities for a viable career.
• A RAP utilizes partners in the workforce-development sector to extend recruitment reach.
• A RAP provides a clear career pathway, does not require a college degree and improves access to jobs for a larger pool of entry-level workers.
  Employee retention – The tree care industry is experiencing high turnover rates, as high as 40% in the first three months of employment. This leads to companies paying higher wages to better-quality candidates. Tree work also has a steep learning curve if you’re brand new to the industry.
• RAPs have proven to improve retention rates: 93% of apprentices who complete a RAP remain employed in the industry (apprenticeship.gov).
• Employees are more likely to stay when they are trained and invested in, because they feel valued and confident in their work.
• Lacking diversity – The tree care industry is predominantly white and male, and lacks representation of women and minority groups.
• RAPs reduce employment barriers and offer an alternative to higher education, making entry to the industry more accessible.
• RAPs ensure full-time employment and job security.
• More than 50% of apprentices enrolled in RAPs in 2021 identified as non-white (apprenticeship.gov).

Added benefits
In addition to solving workforce issues in the tree care industry, RAPs have monetary benefits as well.

• RAPs can lead to less turnover, which lowers costs to recruit, hire and onboard new staff.
• RAPs can lower long-term training costs by improved productivity and retention, which in turn increases profitability.
  RAPs offer opportunities to tap into funding associated with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which provides money for training, wage subsidies, tax credits and wraparound (comprehensive support) services for apprentices.
• RAPs can lead to greater business opportunities for projects or bids that specify work to be completed by a business participating in a RAP.
• RAPs may allow businesses to capitalize on an influx of funding for urban-forestry projects through the Inflation Reduction Act, which will require a larger, more skilled workforce to complete the work.

RAPs reduce employment barriers and offer an alternative to higher education, making entry to the industry more accessible.

Conclusion
There are many reasons why Registered Apprenticeship can benefit the tree care industry. From helping solve labor issues to improving diversity and retention to monetary benefits, RAPs can positively impact the industry’s workforce and a business’s bottom line.

For more information about Registered Apprenticeship Programs, reach out to Erin Demers Aaron on TCIA’s workforce team at apprenticeship@tcia.org. Find out how you can engage with Registered Apprenticeship today!

Katie Fleming is an ISA Certified Arborist and senior forestry program manager with Openlands, a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect, preserve and restore land, water and wildlife in northeastern Illinois and the surrounding region.

This article is based on a session she presented on the same topic at TCI EXPO ’23 in St. Louis, Missouri. To watch a video recording created for that presentation click here.