According to U.S. DOL, GDOL worked closely with the Office of Apprenticeship of the Labor Department’s Employment and Training Administration to develop a Registered Apprenticeship system.
“What the designation means to Guam is that it allows employers to deal directly with someone on island — in this case the Guam Department of Labor — to assist them in establishing their apprenticeship standards,” stated GDOL program coordinator II Phyllis Topasna.
“They don’t have to go to Hawaii to do that. In the past we weren’t able to help them with it because we had no legal clout to speak to the employers.”
Topasna, who is in charge of the apprenticeship program, said Guam was previously just a middle-man because it had no authority, so companies had to go to Hawaii Office of Apprenticeship to be certified.
“Companies can now apply directly with GDOL to become a registered apprenticeship sponsor, which allows them to bring in apprentices and let them know that if they complete the program requirements, they will get a certificate from the U.S. DOL which they can take anywhere in the world and be guaranteed top wages for the position that they’ve applied for because they have that distinction of having a U.S. DOL certificate under their belt,” Topasna said.
“With the designation, we now have the authority to certify and to recognize companies to have their own apprenticeship program,” said GDOL Director Leah Beth Naholowaa.
GDOL has identified 276 positions for apprenticeship. Carpenters, chefs, child care development specialist, dental assistants, electricians, fire medics, and law enforcement agents are a few examples of demand-driven occupations that fall under the registered apprenticeship program.
No funding has been identified for the program yet, Naholowaa stated.
Currently, GDOL is waiting for the governor to submit legislation to the Guam Legislature that would formalize the State Apprenticeship Agency.
Once designated, the office would be comprised of two employees — one to do administrative work and another who would focus on compliance and monitoring of registered apprenticeship sponsors.
