Initiative provides a platform to bring together practitioners in advancing Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) and skill-based learning to help scale best practices in developing the nation’s advanced manufacturing and tech talent pipeline.

HANOVER, Md., Oct. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Through its National Center for Skill-Based Learning™ (CSBL), the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ (NIICA) has launched a new platform to help engage and inform practitioners interested in promoting skill-based learning and hiring through the establishment and expansion of RAs. NIICA’s National Workforce Education, Career and Apprenticeship Network™ (WE CAN) platform and initiative is designed to help meet the nation’s growing demand for skilled workers in the semiconductor, microelectronics, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

In its role as the U.S. Department of Labor’s national industry Intermediary responsible for establishing and expanding RAs and pre-apprenticeships throughout the semiconductor, nanotechnology, and advanced manufacturing supply chains, NIICA works with regional stakeholders throughout the country. In doing so, NIICA promotes the sharing of experiences and best practices between various communities of practitioners; employers, regional industry intermediaries and group program sponsors, community colleges, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, K-12 systems, economic development organizations, and state agencies.

WE CAN is designed to better facilitate making connections at scale throughout the nation, making it easier to share best practices and to help to create awareness of available resources to facilitate skill-based learning and hiring – and importantly, RAs.

WE CAN builds upon the success of NIICA’s existing platform for its Growing Apprenticeships in Nanotechnology and Semiconductors (GAINS) program, expanding the opportunity for collaboration to a broader coalition of participating industry leaders, educational institutions, and workforce organizations. This expansion aims to foster greater innovation in skill-based learning across the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors. Building on the collaborative foundation established with NIICA and GAINS participants, WE CAN will now offer an expanded space for the exchange of ideas and best practices around skill-based learning, Registered Apprenticeships, internships, and talent pipeline development. This initiative opens these discussions to a wider network, ensuring that successful strategies can be shared and scaled.

NIICA has collaborated with industry representatives to develop a comprehensive database of the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) that are required to succeed in advanced manufacturing and developed the nation’s first Semiconductor Competency Standard.  All the KSAs required in jobs within companies being supported by NIICA through its GAINS program have been cataloged and matched to curriculum needed to support the training for RAs. The Related Technical Instruction (RTI) is provided by a network community colleges throughout the nation whose curriculum have been aligned with these employer/job requirements. NIICA’s Semiconductor Industry Network of Community Colleges (SINC) is a network of over 50 colleges with curriculum that has been aligned with job KSA requirements to support NIICA facilitated RAs. Through WE CAN, stakeholders will be made aware of related resources so they can save time and expense related to developing KSA profiles for jobs and leverage existing resources made available by participating in RAs, such as the National Talent Hub.

“At NIICA, we are building the talent pipeline nationwide by establishing pre-apprenticeship pathways and Registered Apprenticeships for high-value, strategically important careers. We are fortunate to collaborate with passionate stakeholders—employers, industry associations, economic developers, educators, and more—who contribute to workforce development. WE CAN formalizes these connections, streamlining efforts and leveraging existing assets and programs,” said NIICA’s Senior Director for the CSBL, Clay Nagel.

“At NIICA, we recognize that the heart of our nation’s success lies in the strength of our workforce. WE CAN isn’t just about filling jobs—it’s about organizing efforts to create opportunities for people from all walks of life to access meaningful careers, to grow, and to contribute to industries that are shaping our future. Through WE CAN, we’re not only working to address the need for skilled workers in advanced manufacturing and tech related careers, but also ensuring that everyone has a pathway into these high-growth, high-impact industries through Registered Apprenticeships,” said Nikki Zaahir, Executive Director of NIICA. 

“While we work to deploy a strategy to expand the nation’s talent pipeline for strategic industry sectors, we are focused on ensuring skill-based learning is part of an education system. In doing so, we are providing the opportunity for people from all walks of life to participate in what are high-value careers. There is great work being done around the country; the more effective we are in sharing information and connecting various communities of practice and stakeholders interested in advancing this mission, the more effective we will be in achieving success,” said NIICA’s President and CEO Mike Russo.

For additional details on WE CAN and NIICA’s work, visit www.niica.org.

About the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement

NIICA is responsible for a national strategy to build the talent pipeline to support strategic industry sectors – tech-based industries and advanced manufacturing tied to U.S. national security and global competitiveness.

NIICA is the nation’s leader in semiconductor talent pipeline development strategy and is the U.S. Department of Labor’s national Registered Apprenticeship (RA) industry Intermediary responsible for establishing and expanding RAs throughout the semiconductor and broader nanotechnology-related industries and advanced manufacturing supply chain. All related programing and support are being advanced through NIICA’s Center for Skill-Based Learning and the National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative.

To date, NIICA has supported the development of 89 RAs with semiconductor and advanced manufacturing employers in 17 states, with over 4,900 apprentices committed to our programs. For more information about the Institute, visit www.niica.org.

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SOURCE National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement