Because of the strong determination of Bill Roberson,
the Training Director of the BEJATC, the impasse has been resolved.
Beginning July 1, the apprenticeship program will receive funds
from the Jefferson County WIB to pay for training and related materials
for newly-accepted apprentices who are deemed eligible under the
Workforce Investment Act by the local One Stop Career Centers. (Eligible
training providers under WIA do not have to change their criteria
for acceptance into their programs; WIBs simply determine whether
accepted program participants meet the criteria for WIB-supported
training dollars.)
Bill Roberson notes that this out-come would not
have been possible without the assistance of Leroy Nicholson, the
Director of the Alabama AFL-CIO Labor Institute for Training, and
Jefferson County Workforce Investment Board labor representatives
Fred Ward (IUPAT) and John Eaves (UA). Everyone is excited about
the resolution and isnow expecting other interested building and
construction trades apprenticeship programs to begin the process
of becoming certified training providers within the system.
This milestone was accomplished through several
meetings with the Jefferson County WIB staff and the President of
the Jefferson County Commission. All the parties credited AFL-CIO
Working for America Institute’s Southern Regional Coordinator
Lynn Minick, who mediated several of the meetings, as being a valuable
resource in the process.
