August 8, 2019 – Lowell, MA – Today, FASTPORT announced the 10,000th apprentice enrolled in its National Standards for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship programs, quadrupling the number of apprentices forecast within 3 years of a 5-year timeline. 

In September 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration’s Office of Apprenticeship made a historic investment in apprenticeships by awarding $20.4 million in contracts to national industry intermediaries to increase apprenticeship opportunities, and FASTPORT was selected to help extend and diversify those opportunities in the Transportation & Logistics sector. Every year since, FASTPORT’s employer network has exceeded the number of apprentices forecast to be enrolled.

In his Executive Order to expand Apprenticeships in America, President Donald Trump declared, “In today’s rapidly changing economy, it is more important than ever to prepare workers to fill both existing and newly created jobs and to prepare workers for the jobs of the future.” 

President Trump continued, “Expanding apprenticeships…[will enable] more Americans to obtain relevant skills and high-paying jobs.  Apprenticeships provide paid, relevant workplace experiences and opportunities to develop skills that employers value. Additionally, they provide affordable paths to good jobs and, ultimately, careers.”

FASTPORT’s National Director of Apprenticeship Dave Harrison said, “Employers are recognizing the value of Registered Apprenticeship because the programs work for their unique business challenges. Each program can be customized to meet each company’s specific needs as they work to recruit, reskill, and retain an expert workforce.”

Employers using FASTPORT as their industry intermediary to create, tailor and enhance their Registered Apprenticeship programs include: 

• American Central Trucking 

• Boyd Bros

• Conexus 

• CTI Leasing 

• Holland

• J.B. Hunt

• JRayl 

• KeHE Distributors 

• Melton Truck Lines

• PAM Transport 

• Paschall Truck Lines

• USF Reddaway

• Ryder

• SAIA

• Service King

• TA Operating, LLC

• TMC Transportation

• Total Transportation 

• TransForce, Inc. 

• TRJ Transportation 

• Venture Logistics 

• Schnieder 

• Fischer Refrigeration

• General Refrigeration 

• Tempest 

• Innovative Refrigeration 

• Freija 

• U.S. Xpress

• USA Truck 

Importantly, industry associations have also come to the forefront of these training efforts by partnering with FASTPORT to help communicate the value of Registered Apprenticeship programs to their extensive membership. These associations include the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools (NAPFTDS), the Commercial Vehicle Training Association (CVTA), Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR), the Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA), the Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation (ARF), the Succession Planning for Railroads Investing in the Next Generation (SPRING), Sierra Delta, and the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA).

President of FASTPORT Brad Bentley affirmed, “Recruiting and, ultimately, retaining the best talent is the most significant act to set businesses up for success. Apprenticeship programs enable employers to access a talent pool of workers ready to find the right skills to support and lead companies into the future. While candidates receive industry-leading training as they earn a salary, employers cultivate a highly skilled and invested workforce. FASTPORT is proud to help make those connections possible as an industry intermediary and looks forward to continuing this work with our employer partners.”

For more information on how to attract new candidates through Registered Apprenticeship programs, visit nationalapprenticeship.org.