Welcome to Apprentix, your partner in managing apprenticeship programs to meet Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requirements and Department of Labor (DOL) standards. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to use the Apprentix platform, from setup to ongoing compliance. It emphasizes the mindset of translating payroll hours into training hours, outlines the steps to get started, and details how to maintain compliance. Use this as both an introduction and a reference for your apprenticeship program.
Understanding the Apprentix Mindset
The core of the Apprentix platform is to align your payroll hours with apprentice training hours, ensuring compliance with DOL and IRA requirements. When you pay an apprentice for, say, 40 hours a week, the DOL expects you to document what they learned and where they learned it, either through classroom/theoretical training or on-the-job training (OJT).
Classroom Training: This includes activities where apprentices are learning without performing work, such as reading manuals, attending meetings, watching instructional videos, or completing OSHA 10/30 courses. For craft laborers, classroom training doesn’t require formal classes; it can occur through existing processes like orientations or safety briefings.
On-the-Job Training (OJT): This encompasses the hands-on work apprentices perform, such as operating equipment, preparing work sites, or following technical instructions.
Your goal is to allocate the same number of hours you’ve paid an apprentice (e.g., 40 hours) to a combination of classroom and OJT in the Apprentix platform. A typical allocation might be 3 hours of classroom training and 37 hours of OJT per week to meet the program’s requirements over two years.
Key Mindset
Every hour paid is an hour trained: If you pay an apprentice for 40 hours, you must log 40 hours of training in Apprentix, split between classroom and OJT.
Keep it broad and flexible: The training plans are written broadly to apply across projects, reducing the need for constant modifications.
Compliance is about documentation: The DOL and IRS (for IRA projects) care that you’ve tracked training hours consistently, not that every hour is perfectly categorized.
Steps to Get Started with Apprentix
Follow these steps in order to set up and manage your apprenticeship program effectively.
1. Add Admins to the Platform
Admins manage the Apprentix platform, including adding apprentices and tracking hours. Designate a primary admin as the main point of contact, then add additional admins as needed.
How to Add Admins:
Log in to the Apprentix platform.
Navigate to the “People” section and select “Add Member.”
Enter the admin’s first name, last name, and email.
Select “Admin” as the role.
Submit the form.
The admin will receive an email to set up their password and log in.
Primary Admin Responsibilities:
Oversee platform setup and apprentice management.
Ensure timely updates to apprentice statuses and hours.
Coordinate with Apprentix support for any issues.
2. Review and Customize Training Plans
Apprentix provides pre-approved training plans for each occupation (e.g., craft laborer, operator, surveyor) that include classroom and OJT components. Review these plans to ensure they align with your scope of work.
Classroom Plan:
Typically includes three categories: Intro to Construction, Safety, and Electives.
Requires 288 hours over two years (approximately 3 hours per week).
Examples: OSHA 10/30, safety briefings, reading SOPs, or orientation sessions.
Action: Review learning objectives for each category. Strike out anything your company never does (e.g., concrete reinforcement safety if you don’t do concrete work). Add relevant activities from your SOPs or orientation if needed, but keep descriptions broad to maintain flexibility across projects.
On-the-Job Plan:
Divided into five competencies (e.g., Safety and Work Habits, Tools and Equipment, Construction Maintenance Repair).
Requires 4,000–5,100 hours over two years (approximately 37 hours per week).
Examples: Operating equipment, preparing work sites, following technical documents.
Action: Review each competency. Remove irrelevant tasks (e.g., assembling steel structures if not applicable) and adjust descriptions to reflect your work (e.g., “operate equipment to prepare parts” instead of “cut and prepare parts”). Avoid adding too many categories to simplify hour allocation.
How to Edit Plans:
Go to “Open Apprenticeship Details” in the platform.
Select the occupation (e.g., Craft Laborer).
Navigate to “Classroom Plan” or “On-the-Job Plan” on the left-hand side.
Click “Edit” to modify objectives or competencies.
Save changes and notify Apprentix support if changes are significant to ensure DOL compliance.
Tip: Make edits directly in the platform for minor changes. For material changes (e.g., removing entire competencies), email Apprentix support to confirm they align with DOL standards.
3. Add Apprentices
Once training plans are finalized, add apprentices to the platform to start their registration process.
How to Add Apprentices:
Go to “People” and select “Add Member.”
Enter the apprentice’s first name, last name, and email.
Select “Apprentice” as the role.
Set the Apprenticeship Start Date as the date you’re adding them (no backdating allowed).
Select “Yes” for “Allow them to sign the apprenticeship agreement digitally.”
Choose employment status (new or existing employee).
Submit the form.
Apprentice Workflow:
The apprentice receives an email to:
Set a password.
Complete a demographic profile (e.g., education, veteran status).
Review and digitally sign the apprenticeship agreement.
Their status will show as “Onboarding” until they complete these steps, then change to “Active.”
Once signed, the apprentice can now be registered.
If you are a Tech Only customer, you will register the apprentice yourself.
If you are a Fractional Sponsor customer, Apprentix registers the apprentice with the DOL for you and the DoL typically approves within 1 business day.
Apprentix will request and provide you with a Davis-Bacon certificate (proof of apprenticeship registration) and upload it to the platform under Company > Documents > Filed.
Action: Notify apprentices to check their inbox (or spam folder) for the email and complete the steps promptly. Contact [email protected] or use the live chat if you encounter issues.
4. Set Up the Wage Schedule
The wage schedule ensures apprentices are paid at least the minimum percentage of the journeyman’s prevailing wage, as negotiated with the DOL. The wage schedule entered into Apprentix is the master wage schedule, it is not intended for you to track actual wages of apprentices where prevailing wages for IRA projects vary.
Wage Schedule Details:
Example (Craft Laborer):
First 1,000 hours: 72% of journeyman rate.
Next 1,000 hours: 79% of journeyman rate.
After 2,000 hours: 86% of journeyman rate.
The journeyman rate is determined by the project’s prevailing wage (from sam.gov).
You can pay more than the minimum, but not less.
Apprentix triggers a notification at 2,000 hours to ensure the apprentice’s wage meets the next tier (e.g., 86%).
How to Manage:
Review the wage schedule in “Open Apprenticeship Details.”
Confirm it aligns with your annual pay increase practices (e.g., bump at 2,000 hours, roughly one year).
If apprentices are already paid above the minimum (e.g., $21/hour vs. 72% of $16/hour), no increase is needed; mark the notification as complete.
Use the platform’s notification as a reminder to check wages against the prevailing wage for each project.
Tip: The wage schedule in Apprentix is an example. Calculate actual wages based on the project’s prevailing wage and ensure compliance with the percentage tiers.
Maintaining Compliance
To keep your apprenticeship program compliant with DOL and IRA requirements, focus on two main tasks: tracking apprentice hours weekly and updating apprentice statuses every 30 days.
1. Track Apprentice Hours Weekly
Every week, after running payroll, log apprentice hours in Apprentix to match the hours paid. Allocate these hours to classroom training (e.g., 3 hours) and OJT (e.g., 37 hours).
How to Track Hours:
Go to “Performance Tools” > “Time Tracking.”
Choose “Bulk Actions” to enter hours for each apprentice.
Select the apprentice and choose either “Courses” (classroom) or “Competencies” (OJT).
Courses: Allocate hours to Intro to Construction, Safety, or Electives (e.g., 1 hour Safety, 2 hours Electives).
Competencies: Allocate hours to the five OJT competencies (e.g., 20 hours Construction Maintenance Repair, 17 hours Tools and Equipment).
4. Set the date as the payroll week’s end (e.g., Wednesday for the prior week).
5. Add optional notes (e.g., “Pulled from payroll”) for audit evidence.
6. Submit hours (they’ll appear in the “Pending” tab).
7. Review and click “Approve” to move hours to the “Approved” tab.
Using Import Templates:
For multiple apprentices, use the import feature:
Download the course or competency template from the platform.
Enter the apprentice’s email, date, hours, and exact course/competency name (copy-paste from the platform).
Upload the template to the platform.
Approve the imported hours.
Tip: Create a tab with course/competency names for easy copying.
Allocation Tips:
Aim for 3 hours classroom and 37 hours OJT per week on average.
Don’t overfill buckets; once a course or competency reaches its required hours (e.g., 600 hours for Tools and Equipment), allocate hours to other areas to show progression.
Use field supervisor reports or project scope to guide allocations, but precision isn’t critical as long as hours are tracked.
Roll up weekly hours to the payroll week’s end date (e.g., Wednesday) rather than entering daily.
Why It Matters:
The DOL audits hours to ensure apprentices are being trained. If you pay 40 hours but log no training, it signals non-compliance.
For IRA projects, the IRS audits apprentice-to-journeyman ratios (1:1 for craft laborers) via certified payroll, which you maintain separately.
2. Update Apprentice Statuses Every 30 Days
The DOL requires apprentice statuses to be updated every 45 days; Apprentix enforces a 30-day cycle to allow processing time.
Statuses:
Active: Apprentice is working and training.
Suspended: Temporarily not working (e.g., seasonal break; can be reinstated).
Canceled: Apprentice has left the program (e.g., quit, fired, or no longer an apprentice).
Completed: Apprentice has fulfilled all required hours.
How to Update:
Go to “People” and select the apprentice.
Click “Actions” and choose “Completion,” “Suspension,” or “Cancellation.”
Fill out the required fields (e.g., reason for cancellation).
Submit to notify Apprentix, which updates the DOL.
Note: If an apprentice’s status hasn’t changed (e.g., still Active), no action is needed.
Why It Matters:
Outdated statuses (e.g., not canceling a terminated apprentice within 45 days) can lead to non-compliance.
3. Additional Compliance Notes
Probationary Period: The first 1,000 hours are probationary. Termination during this period is marked as “Canceled” (less scrutiny). Post-probation terminations are “Incomplete” and may trigger deeper audits.
Davis Bacon Certs: Issued for each registered apprentice and uploaded to the platform. Use these for IRA project reporting to prove apprenticeship compliance.
Journeyman Ratios: Maintain a 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyman ratio , verified through certified payroll (not tracked in Apprentix). If a state requires you to have a different ratio, you must comply with their ratios.
Non-IRA Projects: Apprentices can continue earning hours toward their program even on non-IRA projects, supporting career progression without additional compliance burdens.
Audits:
DOL audits occur in years 1 and 3, and randomly thereafter.
IRS audits IRA projects, focusing on ratios and prevailing wages.
Maintain certified payroll to verify ratios and wages; Apprentix handles training hour documentation.
Best Practices for Success
Start Early: Add apprentices as soon as you know their names to minimize delays in DOL registration (start date + 2 business days after signing).
Leverage Existing Processes: Use orientation, safety training, or SOP reviews to fulfill classroom hours. Credit prior training (e.g., OSHA 10) toward apprenticeship progress, but note it won’t count for IRA hours.
Simplify Hour Allocation: Stick to 3 hours classroom/37 hours OJT weekly unless specific activities (e.g., rainy day training) justify more classroom time.
Use Support Resources:
Access live chat support (bottom right corner of the platform) for tech issues.
Email [email protected] for setup or compliance questions.
Review help desk articles or use the AI bot for quick answers.
Monitor Progress**: Check apprentice progression in the “Performance” tab to ensure they’re advancing toward completion.
Communicate Changes: Notify Apprentix of project awards or state reciprocity needs to ensure timely setup.
Ongoing Reference Checklist
1. Weekly:
Run payroll and log apprentice hours in Apprentix (3 hours classroom, 37 hours OJT).
Approve pending hours.
Check for wage increase notifications at 2,000 hours and verify wages meet minimums.
2. Every 30 Days:
Review apprentice statuses and update if changed (e.g., Canceled, Suspended).
Confirm no apprentices are past 45 days without status updates.
3. As Needed:
Add new apprentices promptly and ensure they sign agreements.
Review training plans for new occupations or projects.
Download Davis Bacon inserts for IRA reporting.
Contact support for platform or compliance issues.
FAQs
Q: Can apprentices enter their own hours?
A: Yes, but it's better if admins enter hours to maintain control and accuracy. In Settings, you may turn on/off the ability for apprentices to submit time.
Q: What if we don’t do a task listed in the training plan?
A: Remove irrelevant tasks in the Related Materials section of the competency notify Apprentix if changes are significant to ensure DOL approval.
Q: Do we need certified payroll for non-IRA projects?
A: No, certified payroll is only required for IRA projects to verify ratios and wages. For non-IRA projects, track hours in Apprentix to continue apprenticeship progress.
Q: How do we handle apprentices moving to non-IRA projects?
A: Continue tracking hours in Apprentix to progress their apprenticeship, or cancel their status if they’re no longer in the program. This supports career development without IRA compliance needs.
Q: What if an apprentice’s email is entered incorrectly?
A: Use the “Delete” function to remove the incorrect entry (only for security purposes if no data is logged). Otherwise, use “Actions” to cancel or suspend. Never delete apprentices with logged hours due to the 7-year record-keeping requirement.
Contact Us
For any questions or support:
Live Chat: Bottom right corner of the platform (US-based team).
Email: [email protected].
Resources: Access help desk articles and the AI bot in the platform.
By following this guide, you’ll ensure your apprenticeship program is set up correctly, compliant with DOL and IRA requirements, and positioned to support your apprentices’ growth. Welcome to Apprentix!