CAEL, the Machinists Institute, and Renton Technical College Integrate Complete Degree Program Within Groundbreaking Registered Apprenticeship Program

Partnership creates seamless connection between hands-on and classroom learning, accelerating learners along education and employment pathways  

INDIANAPOLIS – CAEL, the Machinists Institute, and Renton Technical College (RTC) have completed a registered apprenticeship pathway that encompasses trade-specific training as well as general education curricula, allowing apprentices to concurrently complete their registered machinist apprenticeship and an associate of applied science in multi-occupational trades. The pathway is the result of work that CAEL and the Machinists Institute began in 2022 to develop a competency-based model to create a more seamless and efficient connection between Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council-approved training and degree completion. 

“Proactively recognizing college-level on-the-job learning outcomes within traditional academic pathways reduces barriers that create disparities in completion rates and wages among underrepresented learners and workers,” said Dr. Beth Doyle, CAEL senior vice president of initiatives and solutions. “I commend Renton Technical College for meeting the Machinist Institute apprentices where they are and creating another critical link between learning and work.”

"We were thrilled to have the opportunity to award an applied associate degree to machinist apprentices after they completed four years of training and classroom instruction,” said Dr. Sarah Wakefield, dean of general education and transfer at RTC. “CAEL's documentation was meticulously and clearly laid out, effectively crosswalking the learning outcomes from RTC's classes, so it was easy to see where all degree requirements were met."

“The collaborative efforts of RTC, CAEL, and the Machinists Institute exemplify a remarkable commitment to advancing registered apprenticeship education,” said Shana Peschek, executive director of the Machinists Institute. “By crafting a seamless degree pathway for machinist apprentices, we have not only bridged the gap between practical experience and academic achievement but have also set a new standard for excellence in workforce development. We are very thankful to the team at RTC and CAEL for the commitment and support to reimagine the apprenticeship degree to create a permeable educational pathway.”

Community college partnerships also give apprentices access to wraparound services that extend a holistic level of support to students. "This innovative collaboration not only leads to a degree for apprentices, but also enhances their access to a range of valuable resources throughout their apprenticeship,” said Laura Heller, senior director of initiatives at CAEL. “These include the food pantry at Renton Technical College, as well as library and computer lab facilities."

Traditional apprenticeship pathways require additional general education classes to receive an associate degree, often delaying or preventing adult learners from continuing their education and advancing their careers. Moreover, pathways to degree completion are not always clear to apprentices, who may not have immediate plans to pursue a traditional academic credential or see the value in obtaining one. When apprentices do seek degrees, they often face transfer and enrollment challenges when trying to stack an apprenticeship into a college degree program. 

But under the Machinists Institute-RTC partnership, learners complete all of the learning required to earn their applied science degree in multi-occupational trades outside of the college classroom. In addition to benefiting adult learners and the workforce, the program supports enrollment and completion at RTC and, as the model expands, the state’s other community and technical colleges, positioning more students to continue their studies toward a bachelor’s degree.

To maintain robust academic rigor throughout the apprenticeship pathway, CAEL worked closely with RTC faculty to vet Machinists curricula. During this process, CAEL crosswalked the Machinists Institute apprenticeship program to the general education requirements of the multi-occupational trades degree, identifying aligned competencies and opportunities to embed the general education requirements into the apprenticeship program. The appraisal and alignment process included reviewing syllabi and making curricula changes to ensure apprenticeship learning outcomes met RTC gen ed requirements. 

CAEL’s approach to developing the registered apprenticeship pathway is scalable and adaptable to other college systems in the country, particularly those that share an accreditation authority. In fact, CAEL and the Machinists Institute are currently working on replicating this model with other colleges in Washington State.

About CAEL
Recognizing that adult learners are the backbone of the U.S. economy, CAEL helps forge a clear, viable connection between education and career success, providing solutions that promote sustainable and equitable economic growth. CAEL opens doors to opportunity in collaboration with workforce and economic developers, postsecondary educators, employers and industry groups, and foundations and other mission-aligned organizations. By engaging with these stakeholders, CAEL fosters a culture of innovative, lifelong learning that helps individuals, and their communities thrive. A national membership organization established in 1974, CAEL is a part of Strada Collaborative, a mission-driven nonprofit. Learn more at cael.org and stradacollaborative.org.

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