Institute for Apprenticeship, Training and Education Programs

70th Annual Employee Benefits Conference

Monday, January 13 - Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Disney's Yacht & Beach Club,

Orlando, FL

Attend the Institute for Apprenticeship, Training and Education Programs Virtually!

Can't make it in Orlando?—Join us virtually! When you select the virtual option, you have the flexibility of participating in the live sessions as they are scheduled or watching them on demand in the 30 days following the conference. Virtual attendees are also eligible to receive a Certificate of Attendance, provided they meet the same participation requirements as those attending in person. Continuing education credit for professional licenses/designations/certifications is only available for those who attend in person.

This conference will begin each day at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Access the Virtual Environment

Agenda

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

The Artificial Intelligence Era

AI is here, it’s everywhere and its implications are many. This session will discuss how AI has evolved and how it’s impacting your industry and the apprenticeship world. Take away an understanding of the challenges and possibilities.

C. Anton Ames
Data and Information Systems Management Consultant
Anton Ames Group

Available Virtually

View Presentation

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Apprenticeship Panel Discussion—Attracting and Retaining Workers in the Trades

This session will feature a panel of apprentices and early career journeyworkers sharing their personal stories and providing insights on what motivates them. They will also discuss what they want out of their relationship with an apprenticeship program/union/employer. Take away an understanding of what is driving the next generation of workers so you can design your recruitment and retention efforts to be mutually beneficial.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Understanding Grant Funding: Opportunities and Complexities

New initiatives and growth in many apprenticeship programs are made possible through funding provided by grants. This session will help you identify where to find grant funding and provide an overview of how grants operate. Topics include:

Legislated grant opportunities
Other grant sources
Applying for grant funding
Reporting and oversight
Challenges and best practices.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

In Pursuit of Accreditation

This session will provide an overview of the accreditation process, including:

Why consider accreditation
Understanding the accreditation process
Challenges that will arise
Best practices.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

1:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Canadian Legal and Legislative Update

This session will provide an update on the Canadian legal, legislative and regulatory environment, including:

Relevant laws and regulations you need to be complying with
Industry activity to pay attention to
Provincial initiatives.

Mark Zigler
Senior Partner
Koskie Minsky LLP

Available Virtually

View Presentation

1:15 PM - 2:30 PM

U.S. Legal and Legislative Update

With the presidential election over and a new administration taking office, there are many questions about how registered apprenticeship programs will be impacted. This session will provide insights on the current and future environment to help you plan for what lies ahead. The panel discussion will address:

Update on the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship
Update from the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) National Office
How apprenticeships may be impacted by the new administration
Legislative and regulatory activity impacting registered apprenticeship programs.

Derek Watkins
Attorney
Watkins, Pawlick, Calati & Prifti, PC

Available Virtually

View Presentation

1:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Best Practices in Recruitment

This session will feature a spotlight on successful recruitment programs and discuss best practices for:

Developing your strategy and messaging
Pre-apprenticeship programs
Outreach to targeted audiences
Partnership opportunities.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Canadian Fiduciary Responsibility in Apprenticeship Programs

This session will help Canadian apprenticeship trustees understand the role and responsibilities in managing a training trust fund. Topics include:

Who is a fiduciary
Best practices for good governance
Common fiduciary challenges.

Mark Zigler
Senior Partner
Koskie Minsky LLP

Available Virtually

View Presentation

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

U.S. Fiduciary Responsibility in Apprenticeship Programs

This session will provide an overview of fiduciary responsibility and review the applicable laws and regulations that apprenticeship trustees must be aware of and adhere to. The session will cover:

Legal framework and governing documents
Fiduciary responsibility
Best practices for good governance
Introduction to prohibited transactions
The two-hat dilemma
Proposed 29 CFR Part 29
Common fiduciary challenges
Important legal cases.

Rena Sauer, Esq.
Partner
Ledbetter Partners LLC

Available Virtually

View Presentation

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Best Practices in Retention

This session will feature a spotlight on successful retention programs and discuss best practices for:

Developing your retention strategy
Advising and mentoring your apprentices
Addressing issues in the classroom and on the job site.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Risk Management for Apprenticeship Programs

This session will consider many of the exposures to risk for apprenticeship programs, with a focus on:

Operational risks
Reputational risks
Cybersecurity risks
Developing a process to identify
Insurance coverage options.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

The Psychology of Learning—Understanding the Wants and Needs of Today’s Learners

So much has been learned over the past decade about how personality types and learning styles impact a person’s ability to learn. This session will help you understand the most current approaches to student learning and development. Topics include:

The spectrum of neurodivergence

Assessment tools

Meeting learners where they are

Strategies for success.

Rachael Mann, M.A.
Speaker/Author

Available Virtually

View Presentation

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Financial Management Tools

Designed for training directors and coordinators, this session will focus on the tools you have to manage the business side of your apprenticeship program, including:

Accounting and budgeting
Cost tracking
Dashboards
Leveraging plan professionals and other resources.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Designing and Delivering Efficient and Effective Instruction

This session will focus on how instructors can create instruction that not only effectively develops skills for their apprentices but also helps retention through active learning. The session objectives will include:

Understand diverse learning styles and needs
Design effective instruction through the DACUM system
Maximize technology and leverage existing resources
Make training more efficient through modularization
Learn strategies for engagement and motivation
Best practices for evaluation and continuous improvement.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

The Business Side of Your Apprenticeship Program

This session will look at the business side of apprenticeship programs for trustees, directors and others who have a role in the oversight and management of these programs. Topics include:

Financial statements
High-level oversight
Internal controls
Fraud and abuse.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Engage, Belong and Excel: Transformative Training Techniques for Instructors

During this highly interactive and engaging presentation, participants will learn to transform apprenticeship education. By focusing on engagement; belonging; and practical, innovative training methods, you can help shape the structure and growth of apprenticeship programs. Learning objectives include:

Identifying the challenges in developing today’s workforce
Discovering ways to deliver cognitive content through active engagement
Exploring how active engagement can increase the sense of belonging and improve retention.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

1:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Know Your Policies

You run a trust fund that has a certain set of policy requirements. At the same time, you are running a school that has an altogether different set of policies. You are also running a business that requires yet another set of policies. This session will address:

Checklist of policies you should have
Components of a good policy
Policy development, implementation, documentation and oversight
Common policy challenges.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Roundtable Discussions

This time frame is designed to provide attendees with an opportunity to participate in roundtable discussions based on your role. The idea is to provide a facilitated but self-directed opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest. You will be assigned a table based on one of the following: trustees, apprenticeship directors/coordinators, apprenticeship instructors, and general. Each table facilitator will compile a list of key takeaways that will be shared with all conference attendees.

Available Virtually

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Canadian Guided Open Forum

An open discussion of Canadian issues that are relevant to training trust funds, this session will provide a forum to address the most pressing issues that trustees, administrators, coordinators, instructors and directors are dealing with today.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

U.S. Guided Open Forum

An open discussion of U.S. issues that are relevant to training trust funds, this session will provide a forum to address the most pressing issues that trustees, administrators, coordinators, instructors and directors are dealing with today.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Cybersecurity Best Practices

You have plenty of data to protect, from trust fund information to student records. Be proactive in looking at your vulnerability to a cyberattack. This session will cover:

DOL guidance
Assessment and penetration testing
Dealing with a breach
Insurance coverage and claims
Basic things to do to protect yourself
Internal controls.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Mental Health Panel Discussion

The mental health epidemic is impacting apprenticeship programs both in the classroom and on the jobsite. This session will provide a forum to discuss the scope of these problems and identify solutions, interventions and strategies to make a difference in your programs and for your people.

Available Virtually

View Presentation

Pricing

Through December 2, 2024

US$1,750.00

Member

US$2,080.00

Nonmember

After December 2, 2024

US$2,050.00

Member

US$2,380.00

Nonmember

Registration is Now Closed