Maine § 3204. - Apprenticeship program performance standards

§ 3204.. Apprenticeship program performance standards

1.  Minimum number of apprentices.  A registered apprenticeship program must have at least one registered apprentice, except for the following specified periods of time if the periods do not exceed one year:

A. Between the date when the apprenticeship program is registered and the date of registration for its first apprentice; and   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

B. Between the date that the apprenticeship program graduates an apprentice and the date of registration for the next apprentice in the program.   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

2.  Evaluation.  The Maine Apprenticeship Program shall evaluate the performance of a registered apprenticeship program. The tools and factors to be used must include, but are not limited to:

A. Quality assurance assessments;   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

B. Equal employment opportunity compliance reviews;   [PL 2023, c. 318, §7 (AMD).]

C. Completion rates. The cancellation of an apprenticeship agreement during the probationary period under section 3205, subsection 8 does not have an adverse impact on an apprenticeship program's completion rate; and   [PL 2023, c. 318, §7 (AMD).]

D. The total package value of a registered apprenticeship program.   [PL 2023, c. 318, §7 (NEW).]

3.  Transfers.  A transfer of an apprentice between apprenticeship programs or within an apprenticeship program must be based on agreement between the apprentice and the affected sponsors and:

A. The sponsor must provide the transferring apprentice with a transcript of related instruction and on-the-job learning;   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

B. The transfer may be only to an apprenticeship program for the same occupation as the one from which the apprentice is being transferred; and   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

C. If the transfer occurs between sponsors, a new apprenticeship agreement must be executed.   [PL 2011, c. 491, §13 (NEW).]

4.  Notice.  A sponsor shall notify the Maine Apprenticeship Program of a person who has completed an apprenticeship program, of a transfer under subsection 3 or of a suspension or cancellation of an apprenticeship agreement under section 3205 within 45 days of the completion, transfer, suspension or cancellation. Notice of a transfer, suspension or cancellation must include the reasons for the transfer, suspension or cancellation.

5.  Registered apprenticeship programs not in compliance.  The department shall identify and act to remedy registered apprenticeship programs that are:

A. Not in compliance with quality assurance assessments;   [PL 2023, c. 318, §8 (NEW).]

B. Experiencing low rates of retention or completion; or   [PL 2023, c. 318, §8 (NEW).]

C. Not providing an adequate total package value to apprentices completing an apprenticeship program as determined by the department.   [PL 2023, c. 318, §8 (NEW).]

The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.  

6.  Department to perform assessment annually.  Beginning January 1, 2024, the department shall annually perform an assessment on the Maine Apprenticeship Program. The assessment must include, but is not limited to, the following:

A. A summary of performance data collected from program sponsors;   [PL 2023, c. 318, §9 (NEW).]

B. Best practices being used and areas for improvement, as determined by the department; and   [PL 2023, c. 318, §9 (NEW).]

C. Steps taken by the department to ensure continuous improvement on key performance metrics.   [PL 2023, c. 318, §9 (NEW).]