Labor Dept launches online apprentice program look-up tool – Vermont Business Magazine

Report on Vermont’s Registered Apprenticeship Initiatives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Enhancing Access to Quality Education and Decent Work (SDG 4, SDG 8)

The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) has launched a significant digital resource to advance workforce development in the state. This initiative directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). A new online tool provides streamlined access to information on Registered Apprenticeship programs, promoting lifelong learning opportunities and pathways to full and productive employment.

The tool is a comprehensive, searchable database designed to connect prospective apprentices with relevant opportunities. It currently lists over 600 programs across nearly 550 employers, demonstrating a robust infrastructure for vocational training.

• Accessibility: The tool allows users to filter programs by town, county, occupation, and employer, removing barriers to information and promoting inclusive access to vocational education.
• Data Maintenance: The database is updated quarterly to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the information provided to the public and stakeholders.
• Contribution to SDG 4: By making vocational training pathways transparent and accessible, the tool promotes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Contribution to SDG 8: The initiative facilitates the connection between job seekers and employers, fostering sustained, inclusive economic growth and providing pathways to decent work.

Fostering Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17)

VDOL is actively strengthening collaborations with program sponsors and employers, an approach that aligns with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The department has extended an invitation for one-on-one consultations to facilitate discovery calls and programmatic reviews, ensuring the apprenticeship ecosystem remains responsive and effective.

The Vermont Apprenticeship Advisory Board serves as a key multi-stakeholder platform. The board’s meeting on September 18, 2025, addressed several key areas for program enhancement:

1. Program Review and Expansion: A detailed presentation was given on the Ski Lift Mechanic Registered Apprenticeship Program, including its growth and plans for federal approval.
2. Industry-Specific Challenges: Discussions were held regarding mentorship ratios and recent regulatory changes affecting electrical apprentices.
3. Emerging Sector Initiatives: The board explored new training initiatives in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and the trades, ensuring the apprenticeship model adapts to evolving economic needs.

The board’s ongoing work and public meetings exemplify a commitment to building effective partnerships between public institutions and the private sector to achieve sustainable development objectives.

Strategic Initiatives in Pre-Apprenticeships and Clean Energy

Certified Pre-Apprenticeships: Foundational Pathways to Lifelong Learning (SDG 4)

VDOL has developed a dedicated webpage for Certified Pre-Apprenticeships, recognizing these programs as a critical entry point into skilled careers. These introductory programs provide foundational skills and knowledge, preparing individuals for successful entry into full Registered Apprenticeships. This focus on preparatory training directly supports SDG 4 by creating structured, accessible pathways for individuals to begin a lifelong learning journey in the skilled trades.

Clean Energy Sector Integration: Supporting Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) and Sustainable Industry (SDG 9)

The VDOL Registered Apprenticeship Team is actively working to integrate apprenticeship models within the clean energy sector, a critical component of achieving SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). By participating in events like Vermont’s Energy Action Network Summit, the team is promoting apprenticeships as a primary method for developing the skilled climate workforce. While no single “clean energy” apprenticeship exists, numerous apprenticeable occupations are essential to this sector. This strategic alignment ensures that Vermont’s workforce development efforts contribute directly to building a sustainable, green economy and resilient infrastructure.

Conclusion: A Comprehensive Strategy for Sustainable Workforce Development

The Vermont Department of Labor’s recent activities demonstrate a comprehensive and strategic approach to workforce development through Registered Apprenticeships. By launching accessible digital tools, fostering robust partnerships, and targeting key growth sectors like clean energy, VDOL’s initiatives are strongly aligned with multiple Sustainable Development Goals. These efforts are instrumental in providing quality education (SDG 4), promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), supporting sustainable industry and infrastructure (SDG 9), advancing clean energy goals (SDG 7), and building effective partnerships (SDG 17) for the benefit of all Vermonters.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article focuses on Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship programs, which are forms of technical and vocational education. By providing pathways to careers in trades like carpentry and electrical work, these programs directly contribute to lifelong learning opportunities and the acquisition of job-specific skills, as highlighted by the “Winooski program gives students a path to carpentry careers.”

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The central theme is creating career pathways and improving the lives of workers in Vermont. The initiative by the Vermont Department of Labor aims to connect individuals with employers for training that leads to stable, skilled employment. The article states there are “over 600 programs on the list across nearly 550 employers,” demonstrating a direct effort to foster sustained, inclusive economic growth and productive employment.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• The article explicitly mentions the connection between apprenticeships and the clean energy sector. The section “Clean Energy Meets Registered Apprenticeships” notes that “many apprenticeable occupations contribute to the climate workforce.” This shows a deliberate effort to build a skilled labor force to support the growth of clean energy infrastructure and technology.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Targets under SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The article directly addresses this target by describing the expansion and promotion of apprenticeship programs designed to equip Vermonters with practical skills for specific careers. The mention of grants to “support youth workforce training” further reinforces this connection.
2. Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
   • The creation of an “easy-to-use tool” to find local apprenticeship programs is a mechanism to ensure and improve access to these vocational training opportunities for everyone.

Targets under SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

1. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • Although the target date has passed, the initiatives described are directly aligned with its goal. Programs like the “Winooski program gives students a path to carpentry careers” and the awarding of grants for “youth workforce training” are concrete actions to engage youth in education and employment.
2. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
   • The apprenticeship model, which combines on-the-job training with paid employment, is a direct pathway to achieving full and productive employment. The entire program aims to build sustainable careers, contributing to this target.

Targets under SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
   • While the article is local, building a skilled workforce is a critical prerequisite for the deployment of and investment in clean energy technology. By creating apprenticeships for the “climate workforce,” Vermont is developing the human capital needed to achieve clean energy goals.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for SDG 4 and SDG 8

• Number of available apprenticeship programs: The article states there are “over 600 programs on the list.” This is a direct quantitative measure of the availability of vocational training opportunities.
• Number of participating employers: The mention of “nearly 550 employers” serves as an indicator of private sector engagement and the scale of the initiative.
• Accessibility of information: The launch of the “searchable, sortable table” is an indicator of improved access to information about training and employment opportunities.
• Financial investment in youth training: The reference to the VDOL awarding “grants to support youth workforce training” implies a measurable financial commitment to reducing youth unemployment.

Indicators for SDG 7

• Development of sector-specific resources: The creation of the “Clean Energy Registered Apprenticeships webpage” is a qualitative indicator of a formal strategy to develop a workforce for this sector.
• Number of apprentices in green jobs: The number of individuals in “apprenticeable occupations [that] contribute to the climate workforce” can be tracked as a quantitative indicator of progress.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vermontbiz.com