Registered Apprenticeships in Washington.  Apprenticeships combine classroom studies—also known as related supplemental instruction (RSI)—with paid on-the-job training supervised by a journey-level craft person or trade professional.  Apprenticeships may be registered with the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council (WSATC).  WSATC approves and promotes apprenticeship programs and establishes program standards for Washington State, including requirements for RSI, coordination of job experience instruction, and instructor qualifications.

Apprenticeships and Higher Education in Washington.  Apprenticeships may provide their own RSI, or contract with a community and technical college (CTC) for the RSI space or instruction, or both.  CTCs may charge tuition rates for ungraded courses that differ from standard rates.  For apprenticeship courses, the State Board For Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has set a rate equal to one-half the standard per credit amount for tuition and services and activities fees.

Apprenticeships that do not contract with CTCs may offer RSI, but still go through CTCs for academic and course credit.  Depending on the institution, apprentices may receive course credit towards a degree.  One degree offered by several institutions, the Multi-Occupational Trades (MOT) associate degree, is currently available through South Seattle College, Spokane Community College, Renton Technical College, Skagit Valley College, Everett Community College, Wenatchee Valley College, and Columbia Basin College.

Washington College Grant for Apprenticeship.  In 2019, the Washington College Grant (WCG) was expanded to registered apprenticeship programs.  The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has set the current maximum award for a full-time registered apprentice at $3,000, by rule.

Washington College Grant for Apprenticeships.  By the 2025-26 academic year, the SBCTC must provide eligible apprentices access to the Washington College Grant for Apprenticeships (WCG-A) through the financial aid office at the college where the apprentice receives RSI.  WSAC shall verify access to the WCG-A for apprentices who receive RSI outside of the CTC system.  To implement this, the SBCTC must collaborate with WSAC's Office of Financial Assistance to create a student information technology interface to simplify the application, and provide verification of registration, eligibility, and award for students.  Data-sharing agreements must be established with other state agencies to verify student data.

The maximum WCG award for students in approved registered apprenticeship programs is aligned with the maximum WCG award for students attending two-year institutions.

Developing Opportunities for Apprentices to Earn Degrees.  WSAC must contract with the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (Ruckelshaus) to research, evaluate, consult with certain stakeholders, and report on developing opportunities for registered apprentices to receive credit towards degrees.

Specifically, Ruckelshaus must:

• evaluate paths to credentials for apprentices with a focus on the MOT degree and an exploration of other credentials for transferability;
• examine national best practices in delivery and of educational credentials to apprentices;
• research apprentices' demand for degrees;
• review the current funding model for apprentices within the CTC system with consideration on the use of state funds for apprenticeships and national funding structures that could be applied to Washington State, while consulting certain stakeholders, to develop recommendations for the Legislature;
• identify and remove barriers to access the WCG-A; and
• report annually to the appropriate legislative committees, by December 1st, on its progress, findings, and recommendations.

WSAC must report annually by December 1, beginning in 2023, on Ruckelshaus's progress, findings, and recommendations.  The December 1, 2026 report must include viable policy options for degree pathways for individuals who complete state registered apprenticeship programs.

Credits for State Registered Apprenticeship Programs.  Policies for granting as many credits, as possible and appropriate, for an apprenticeship's related supplemental instruction for active state registered apprenticeship programs registered on or before July 1, 2022, must be established by the 2028-29 academic year.

Public institutions of higher education must establish a policy for granting as many credits, as possible and appropriate, for an apprenticeship's related supplemental instruction within six years of the date of the program's registration for all registered apprenticeship programs approved after July 1, 2022.  Credits are at the sole discretion of each institution and must be determined in consultation with their faculty representatives.  Credits are not intended to impact an approved registered apprenticeship program's RSI.

This bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.