[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6317959,"mediaKeyId","2368576-7075554d3450f8ca0c00dde5c08cf896","parentId",2368576,"title","Providers, lawmakers press Florida DOE, districts over apprenticeship funding split","audioSeconds",2556,"startMs",86000,"endMs",2642000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2368576-7075554d3450f8ca0c00dde5c08cf896&start=86&end=2642","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2368576-7075554d3450f8ca0c00dde5c08cf896/thumbnail_86000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6317959/Florida/Providers-lawmakers-press-Florida-DOE-districts-over-apprenticeship-funding-split","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317959-3c23b59aae246913a24b1709a22d7012/orig.mp4?Expires=1775457922&Signature=YyGC~qLHGEn1DRikYNqLNURfFYbSJ8ob7mFRJGFaC2oJ21iJY31eIPX7fPChK1gZWPVjC8XYi5K0-EUk3Liv~iwzMydourVgU-l1ZuzrhTiP-knZDaljXl0ojBaE3V7tR9GGa0aPkIKetcYgXVCYYz-OG3pt8wsdiigwUNrOawQHTYGst7W4OU4mRnTt22YPkFUdT8yLrs739WwT0vnRXKzNfodH6-oVqTMxv6rFv3Fcz63CfTWFzLIBxXfNUZPLuEuHSQIT5nmX25iUUQC2YvQAWQsU2Pfx-2sUMMD4AWsnO-UvroBWT-5lS0FUBc~qY-VvuP~6dBg2ZtjwXSDTBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida Legislature","date","2025-02-20T00:00:00Z","article","Panelists and lawmakers at a Careers and Workforce Subcommittee hearing pressed for changes to how Florida’s apprenticeship funding is routed, saying much of the money appropriated by the Legislature is retained by local education agencies rather than reaching program providers.

Members of the panel and the committee raised the funding split repeatedly during a May hearing; Peter Daiga, president and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors Florida East Coast chapter and ABC Institute, said, \"we're only reimbursing us as a provider of about 44%.\" Dr. Paul Brodie, president of Santa Fe College, added: \"I'm going to say we can always use more funding.\"

Why it matters: Witnesses said the current allocation reduces providers’ ability to hire instructors, expand facilities and open programs in underserved parts of the state. That constrains apprenticeship growth even as demand for skilled workers rises.

Panel testimony and committee discussion

Panelists described a multi-step funding flow: the Legislature appropriates workforce dollars to the Florida Department of Education, which applies a District Workforce Education Funding Summary and a weighted formula to calculate per-student funding. That money is then routed to local education agencies (LEAs) or district partners. Several providers said only a minority of the calculated per-apprentice amount is reimbursed to the registered apprenticeship provider.

Peter Daiga said providers sometimes negotiate contracts with districts for a greater share (he described contracts that secure roughly 60% for a provider), but he called the prevailing pattern opaque and widespread: \"there's 2 I'm very close to, my own in the Tampa chapter's program. And I'd be curious, you know, what the reimbursement rate is... To me, it borders almost on collusion,\" he said, describing similar reimbursement outcomes across many districts.

Dr. Brodie told the committee Santa Fe uses existing operational funding but said expanding apprenticeships would require more resources for businesses to start programs and for colleges to add faculty and facilities: \"we could grow apprenticeships if we found a way to, help support more businesses to helping to start apprenticeships.\"

Specific figures, paperwork and examples

Panelists and members cited numbers discussed during testimony: the Department of Education’s cost-per-unit figure for 2024–25 was presented as $5,139.73 per student; presenters said a realistic total for their programs worked out to about $4,613.74 after applying district differentials. Providers reported receiving as little as about 44% of expected reimbursement in some relationships, and described discrete charges that further reduce provider receipts (for example, student activity fees and administrative overhead taken by the LEA).

Panelists described administrative requirements that affect reimbursement: attendance records for classroom instruction and on-the‑job training (OJT) must be submitted and audited; OJT reporting can be delayed and missing hours reduce reimbursement. Panelists also cited instructor-approval obstacles when districts apply the same hiring or background-check standards to contractor instructors as they do to district teachers.

Policy options raised

Witnesses proposed several reforms and near-term fixes: greater transparency from the Department of Education about dollars flowing to districts, standard statewide contract terms or percentages, allowing qualified non‑district providers (for example, registered non‑profit providers) to receive funds directly as an LEA, and targeted increases or incentives (for example, enlarging the employer tax credit) to help small businesses take on apprentices. Panelists also asked legislators to examine limits on how much districts may retain for overhead and to reduce friction in instructor approvals.

Rep. Tant and Rep. Mello asked for specifics and asked panelists to identify where the withheld funds go; panelists said the funds remain with the LEA and are used for the district’s workforce programs or overhead, sometimes without line-item clarity.

Ending — next steps

Panelists urged the committee to pursue legislative fixes or oversight that would route a larger share of apprenticeship appropriations to the providers that run classrooms and labs, with the stated goal of expanding capacity, recruiting instructors and opening programs in underserved regions.

Panelists offered contact information and suggested committee members visit local programs to review contracts and budgets directly; Peter Daiga referenced wetrain.org as a resource for ABC Institute information and the panel recommended continued review of the DOE funding formula and LEA contracts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Careers & Workforce Subcommittee - February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Panelists and lawmakers at a Careers and Workforce Subcommittee hearing pressed for changes to how Florida’s apprenticeship funding is routed, saying much of the money appropriated by the Legislature is retained by local education agencies rather than reaching program providers.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature FL, Florida","taxId",78546,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":44,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6317955,"Apprenticeship programs in Florida report growth, push outreach and new career pathways",5180,5266000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2368576-7075554d3450f8ca0c00dde5c08cf896&start=86&end=5266","/articles/6317955/Florida/Apprenticeship-programs-in-Florida-report-growth-push-outreach-and-new-career-pathways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317955-28d59522cd887c72c84c8653efc6cc9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775457922&Signature=RF0Ny1kQyZ5SnR1336CPtcEAto1iVvdQVsMb~ECIwdIlJNuu1fy4Sm8Mv2eFMED4nka38GVittqgTHuyBZZz29KYUFzYh4JzBMyNbLbqQjN3KPOfy8qwKgwdb7enISDNsF9V~lb4Mkojehy2retsQs9fQ5oeg2mU30cbuEHrWF~HH270LYvL7eRxxocmZ0R6SYPUbySruyCbKQl2v-lEjEyaX22DiVyEH~sgkXNdSdiwPTCUBQQlaUR6xo1bgoPeVnd2vxLW3ahXFBGTlf-mPaYPf789rLhrnEpeAMWgSIP-TO04~U2WBRSuX9KFqvTcZOqeMTCq62pVno3gz6Vf6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","College leaders and industry representatives told the Florida House Careers and Workforce Subcommittee that apprenticeship programs in the state are growing in scale and scope and that apprenticeships offer a tuition‑free alternative pathway to steady, higher-paying jobs.

At the start of the hearing, committee materials and witnesses cited Apprentice Florida figures showing a total of 329 registered apprenticeship programs and 19,214 active apprentices between July 2023 and June 2024, with 6,043 new apprentices registered in that period. Panelists described employers (about 1,100) offering apprenticeships in 129 occupations and said average starting annual pay for apprentices was approximately $34,000 with average exit salaries above $57,000.

Panelists’ descriptions and outcomes

Dr. Paul Brodie, president of Santa Fe College, said the college’s career and technical education (CTE) programs report high placement: \"When you get to our CTE programs, we boast a 95% job placement rate.\" Brodie said Santa Fe is expanding electrical, welding and HVAC offerings and is adding semiconductor and advanced manufacturing training.

Peter Daiga, of ABC Institute, said his organization is the largest apprenticeship education provider in the state and reported an enrollment snapshot: \"We have a student enrollment of 923, 654 of which are registered apprentices and 239 craft trainees,\" and that 72% of their enrollment are minorities.

Employers and outreach

Chris Johnson, president of Piper Fire Protection, described employer-led recruitment through high schools and community groups and said incentives that resonate with parents include \"the no debt and having a well paid career.\" He described company practices — paying some fees, buying tools and offering attendance or grade bonuses — to help apprentices succeed.

Panelists said apprenticeship is expanding beyond traditional trades. Santa Fe College described pilot or planned apprenticeship programs in accounting/bookkeeping, cybersecurity/networking and surgical technology. Panelists also described articulation agreements so apprenticeship-related credit can transfer to associate degrees or business degrees; Daiga recommended statewide credit recognition for registered apprenticeship completion.

Barriers and program supports

Witnesses listed recurring barriers: instructor shortages, facility space, caps tied to LEA contract terms, and inconsistent CareerSource funding by region. Panelists described administrative requirements (attendance and OJT reporting, RAPIDS records) and said virtual delivery for related technical instruction is emerging as an option while on-the-job training remains in person.

Panelists highlighted grants and local programs that helped growth: Santa Fe cited a $560,000 ERAP grant that expanded its apprenticeship program by 28%; Brodie and others pointed to Open Door funding used for short-term training (for example, CDL) that would otherwise not qualify for federal student aid.

Ending — workforce implications and outreach asks

Panelists urged sustained legislative support for apprenticeship expansion, recommended visits by legislators to local labs and graduation events, and provided contact resources (ABC Institute’s wetrain.org and the American Fire Sprinkler Association at firesprinkler.org). They emphasized apprenticeships’ role in producing locally based jobs that cannot be outsourced and encouraged investments to lower average apprentice age and increase high‑school recruitment.

","College and industry witnesses told a Florida House subcommittee that apprenticeship programs are expanding in numbers and occupations, yield high placement and pay, and increasingly target nontraditional students through outreach, virtual instruction and articulation agreements with colleges.","actionData","errors"]

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Providers, lawmakers press Florida DOE, districts over apprenticeship funding split

Apprenticeship programs in Florida report growth, push outreach and new career pathways