Ironworker Apprenticeship Courses and College Credit
Why would the Ironworkers be interested in having their apprenticeship courses evaluated for possible college credit? There are three basic reasons.
First, a number of our apprenticeship programs in the United States and Canada have worked with local colleges and universities to establish articulation agreements so that Ironworkers interested in pursuing a college degree can do so.
Secondly, over the years a number of our apprenticeship instructors have worked with the National Labor College to complete their undergraduate or bachelor’s degree.
Thirdly, many potential apprentices and their parents will be interested in knowing that courses completed as part of a certified apprenticeship program can be used as part of an associate’s degree. This means that courses being eligible for college credit are an excellent marketing tool.
For these reasons the Apprenticeship and Training Department, with support from IMPACT, worked with the local unions in New Jersey to have all of our apprenticeship courses evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE). The evaluation was held 31 March and 1 April, 2005. The evaluation was very positive resulting in a maximum of approximately 44 college credits.
This means that local unions certified through the Ironworker Apprenticeship Certification Program that are implementing the approved core curriculum will be able to work with their local colleges and universities so that those Ironworkers interested in going on to complete a degree may do so.
According to the ACE team members, "The Ironworkers materials were very well developed and their course applications were well organized."
In addition to working with their local colleges, Ironworkers may now pursue their associate’s degree through Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana and their bachelor's degree through the National Labor College.
The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for 26 of the courses conducted by the Ironworkers. The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives. For more information, visit the ACE CREDIT website at http://www.acenet.edu/acecredit.
