This section provides the requirements for Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) to establish and maintain eligibility on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL).

1. A RAP is a training program that is approved and registered with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Office of Apprenticeship, under the National Apprenticeship Act, with the goal of providing workers with advanced skill sets that meet the specific needs of employers. Programs are designed and led by employers to meet industry workforce needs.
2. A RAP sponsor is an organization or entity that creates, runs, and manages the program.  A sponsor can be an individual employer, a group of employers, a union, a workforce development organization, or a college or training provider.
3. The five (5) Core Components of Registered Apprenticeship Programs include:
   1. Employer involvement
   2. Structured on-the-job learning
   3. Related instruction
   4. Rewards for skill gains
   5. National Industry-Recognized Credential
4. RAPs combine paid on-the-job training with related technical instruction. Related technical instruction, technical training, or other certified training is provided by apprenticeship training centers, technical schools, community colleges, and/or institutions employing distance and computer-based learning approaches.
5. Upon completion, apprentices receive an industry-issued, nationally recognized credential that certifies occupational proficiency and is portable.
6. All RAPs registered with the USDOL, Office of Apprenticeship, are automatically eligible to be included in the State list of eligible training providers and programs. Automatic eligibility is based solely on active federal registration status. RAPs are not subject to the State’s initial or continued eligibility performance requirements. If the Related Training Instruction (RTI) providers have met the State requirements for training program approval as described in the Eligible Training Providers and Programs of Study section of this policy.
   1. RAP sponsors must notify the State ETPL Coordinator if they wish to be listed on the Illinois ETPL. A RAP is not required to be listed unless they choose to opt in; and
   2. RAPs that have opted-in the State ETPL must be on all Local ETPLs in the State.
   3. Automatic ETPL eligibility does not exempt Registered Apprenticeship Programs from compliance with applicable WIOA Title I requirements when receiving WIOA funds, including nondiscrimination provisions (WIOA §188; 20 CFR Part 38) and applicable federal grant requirements.
7. To opt-in to the ETPL, the sponsor of the RAP must:
   1. Submit the Registered Apprenticeship Program Opt-In Request (see Attachments tab) to the State ETPL Coordinator at CEO.OET.etplcoord@illinois.gov; and
   2. Enter the program information into the Illinois Workforce Development System (IWDS) 2.0 following the Requirements for Initial Eligibility and Continued Eligibility of Training Providers and Training Programs under WIOA Title I (see the Attachments tab).
   3. Note: For proper identification and reporting purposes, the title of the ETPL training program must match the name registered with the USDOL as an apprenticeship program.
8. The State ETPL Coordinator will review the information provided within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the Registered Apprenticeship Program Opt-In Request.
   1. As part of the review, the State ETPL Coordinator may request clarification of information submitted within the thirty (30) calendar day timeframe.
   2. RAP sponsors must respond within five (5) business days to any request for clarification.
   3. Note: Apprenticeship Standards are approved by USDOL as part of the federal registration process. Illinois may request a copy for reference; however, submission of standards is not required for ETPL eligibility.
9. Once RAPs are reviewed and no additional clarification is needed, they will be placed on the State ETPL.
10. A RAP sponsor expressing interest in being included on the ETPL will be added statewide; thus, if it has multiple locations, the RAP sponsor will only need to show interest once and must still provide information on every program it provides.
11. It is the responsibility of the RAP sponsor to update any program changes in a timely manner.
12. A RAP will remain on the ETPL until:
    1. It is deregistered under the National Apprenticeship Act (its automatic eligibility under WIOA ends immediately);
    2. The sponsor notifies the State ETPL Coordinator that it no longer wants to be included on the list;
    3. The related training instruction program is no longer approved to operate in the state as described in the Eligible Training Providers and Programs of Study section of this policy;
    4. The sponsor cannot demonstrate active employer involvement and training capacity; or
    5. The sponsor intentionally supplies inaccurate information or substantially violates WIOA Title I may be terminated from the ETPL for a minimum of two (2) years, consistent with WIOA.  
       1. The State will verify RAP registration status with USDOL at least once every two (2) years and more frequently as needed to ensure accuracy of the ETPL. The state will remove and notify any program that no longer has such approval, and the program will be able to apply for eligibility as a non-RAP training provider and training program.
       2. If a RAP becomes deregistered and seeks continued ETPL eligibility, it must apply under the standard ETPL initial eligibility procedures as a non-RAP training provider.
       3. A RAP whose eligibility is terminated must be terminated for at least two (2) years. It may be liable to repay WIOA youth, adult, and dislocated worker training funds it received during noncompliance.  This policy describes this further in the Enforcement of Eligible Training Providers Violations section.
13. Note: Individual Training Account (ITA) funding cannot be used towards a RAP that is not tied to an employer.
14. A pre-apprenticeship program is not a Registered Apprenticeship Program and does not qualify for automatic ETPL eligibility. A pre-apprenticeship program that includes an occupational training component, separate from the work experience, may be paid for by an ITA. If ITA funding is used, the training program must be on the State ETPL and follow the State’s eligibility procedures, including the program's requirement to lead to an industry-recognized credential as defined in WIOA.  A quality pre-apprenticeship program, as described in TEGL 23-23 Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Programs, provides:
    1. Training and curriculum that align with the skill needs of employers in the economy of the State or region involved;
    2. Access to educational and career counseling and other supportive services, directly or indirectly;
    3. Hands-on, meaningful learning activities that are connected to education and training activities, such as exploring career options and understanding how the skills acquired through the coursework can be applied toward a future career;
    4. Opportunities to attain at least one industry-recognized credential; and
    5. A partnership with one or more registered apprenticeship programs that assist in placing individuals who complete the pre-apprenticeship program in a registered apprenticeship program.