- Apprenticeship Ambassadors expands
- Studying in France this summer
Apprenticeship Ambassadors expands
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced the latest 98 additions to the Apprenticeship Ambassadors program — including nearly a dozen public two-year colleges — to help promote and support registered apprenticeship opportunities nationwide.
The colleges are:
- Chabot-Las Positas Community College District (California)
- Construction Center of Excellence/Renton Technical College (Washington)
- Forsyth Technical Community College (North Carolina)
- Gaston College (North Carolina)
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana)
- Lake Region State College (North Dakota)
- North Carolina Community College System
- North Idaho College Workforce Training
- Oakland Community College (Michigan)
- San Jacinto College District (Texas)
- Western Piedmont Community College (North Carolina)
DOL launched the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative in 2021 with an inaugural cohort of more 200 organizations to promote registered apprenticeships as a high-quality workforce development strategy to meet the needs of high-demand industries while expanding equitable opportunities for workers from historically underserved and underrepresented communities.
The second cohort announced last week represent emerging and high-growth industries, such as information technology/cybersecurity, education, healthcare and clean energy, according to DOL. The department says the organizations have collectively committed to:
- Develop 308 new registered apprenticeship programs and 146 resources such as contributing to toolkits, fact sheets or other materials in their first year.
- Host 495 outreach and recruitment activities that recruit apprentices into programs and nearly 300 training, technical assistance sessions and promotional meetings to increase knowledge and understanding of registered apprenticeships.
- Hold 240 outreach and recruitment activities and 180 training sessions on reaching marginalized populations.
Studying in France this summer
A record 60 students from 31 U.S. community colleges, as well as eight school administrators, will travel to France for two-week exchange programs featuring interactive classes, industry visits and cultural excursions, according to the French Embassy in the U.S.
The 2023 cohort of the Community College in France (CCF) program represents 16 U.S. states, an increase from 11 in 2022. Sixty-seven percent of the selected students are the first in their family to attend college, and 37% will be leaving the country for the first time, according to embassy officials.
The participants will benefit from a small interactive class environment through one of four boot camps at select higher education institutions in France. The programs they will participate in are: Sustainable City Campuses; Nature: Tamed & Wild; Sustainable Business; and Sustainable Management of Marine Ecosystems.
Launched in 2017, CCF is a unique initiative of the French Embassy and FACE Foundation to expand exchange opportunities available to community college students. Cost and time are particular barriers for many students; CCF helps overcome them with high-quality, affordable, socially engaged and responsively timed programs, according to the embassy. For participating administrators, the exchange program serves an opportunity to connect with their French counterparts, improve teaching methods and explore future collaborations.
“Every year we’re impressed and energized by the applicants to CCF, and there is no doubt in my mind that we will soon see many of the selected students at the forefront of the global fight for climate justice,” Gaëtan Bruel, cultural counselor of the French Embassy, said in a release.
