Understanding Apprenticeship
Learn How the Alaska Metal & Mechanical Apprenticeship Works
The JATC, Local #23, and participating employers work together to build Alaska’s skilled workforce — but each plays a different role in your apprenticeship journey.
Registered apprenticeship combines classroom education, structured on-the-job training, and employment with participating contractors. Understanding how each organization works together — and when you officially become an apprentice — can help you know exactly what to expect as you begin the process.
Three Organizations. One Apprenticeship Program.
Registered apprenticeship works because training, employment, and union representation are handled by separate but connected organizations. AMMA/JATC, Sheet Metal Workers Local #23, and participating signatory employers each play a specific role in helping apprentices progress from applicant to journey-level professional.
Alaska Metal & Mechanical Apprenticeship / JATC
The Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, or JATC, administers the apprenticeship program and provides the education and training required to develop highly skilled Sheet Metal and HVAC-R professionals.
IMPORTANT:
The JATC does not employ apprentices.
Our role is to prepare, train, and support qualified apprentices throughout the program. Employment opportunities are provided by participating signatory contractors based on workforce needs.
Sheetmetal Workers Union Local #23
Local #23 is the labor organization representing workers participating in the apprenticeship and throughout their careers in the trade.
Union membership is required for participation in the AMMA apprenticeship program.
The JATC and Local #23 work closely together, but they are separate organizations with different responsibilities.
Signatory
Employers
Participating signatory employers provide the real-world employment and on-the-job training that make registered apprenticeship possible.
AMMA can prepare qualified candidates for apprenticeship opportunities, but participating employers ultimately determine hiring based on available work and workforce demand.
Applicant vs. Registered Apprentice
The Difference Between an Applicant and a Registered Apprentice
Applying, interviewing, or being placed on an eligible applicant list does not yet make someone a registered apprentice. Apprenticeship officially begins only after an employer opportunity becomes available, an Apprenticeship Agreement is executed, and Department of Labor registration is completed.
Applicant
You are considered an applicant when you have entered AMMA’s application and selection process.
An applicant may have:
However, an applicant:
Submitting an application alone does not create apprenticeship status.
Registered Apprentice
You officially become a registered apprentice after an apprenticeship opportunity becomes available and the required employment and registration steps are completed.
A registered apprentice has:
When Does Apprenticeship Begin?
Milestones of the Start of Your Apprenticeship
Your apprenticeship officially begins when:
Your Apprenticeship Journey
From application to journey-level completion, apprenticeship happens in defined stages. The steps below show how an individual progresses from applicant, to employer selection, to registered apprentice, and ultimately to a skilled journey-level career.
Why Placement Times Can Vary
Apprenticeship Opportunities Are Demand-Driven
The amount of time between applying and receiving an apprenticeship opportunity can vary.
Because Alaska’s workforce needs vary from one community to another, apprenticeship opportunities may become available sooner in one region than another.
Who Should I Contact?
Entities to Contact for Different Reasons