Sept 23, 2020, Washington D.C.  – Today the U.S. Department of Labor Selects FASTPORT as Standards Recognition Entity (SRE) within the Transportation and Warehousing Sector on a national scale. In this role, FASTPORT will serve to help review and validate Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs), which are high-quality apprenticeship programs pursuant to the DOL’s standards. 

IRAPs provide individuals with opportunities to obtain workplace-relevant knowledge and progressively advancing skills. IRAPs include a paid-work component and an educational component and result in an industry-recognized credential. An IRAP is developed or delivered by entities such as trade and industry groups, corporations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, unions, and joint labor-management organizations.

FASTPORT is one of the 10 selected Transportation and Warehousing SREs, joining the 28 SREs that will be working in all DOL-specified industries. For a full list of approved SREs, click here). 

All selected SREs are industry leaders that provide direction to IRAPs and ensure quality and relevancy to the needs of industry employers. The DOL has recognized FASTPORT as qualified to set apprenticeship standards for IRAPs in the Transportation and Warehousing industry, demonstrating that it has the appropriate expertise, policies, and procedures in place to serve as an SRE and industry leader providing quality control and oversight of IRAPs.

For employers, working with FASTPORT to develop and maintain IRAPs means serving the needs of their businesses by expanding apprenticeship opportunities and scaling up a proven workforce education model using innovative and industry-driven approaches. As the quality control linchpin connecting the standards developed by the Department and the needs of American industries, SREs will play a critical role in the development of a talented and knowledgeable workforce pool for current and future business needs.

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with our team for more information on how to create your apprenticeship program, please contact us by clicking here.