Alabama Department of Labor

The Workforce Development Division of the Alabama Department of Commerce administers the On-The-Job Training (OJT) program which gives individuals an opportunity to learn job skills and allows employers to train new employees while saving money on training costs.

Under the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act, On-the-Job Training participants’ employers are reimbursed a portion of these participants’ wages in compensation for the extraordinary costs in additional time and attention generally associated with the provision of such training, and in recognition of the lesser workplace productivity of these trainees. Negotiations with the employer establish the maximum length of participants’ training period. The maximum length of such training, however, is not to exceed six months.

A Business Service Representative from the local career center or a member of Workforce Development Division staff and the employer will create a training plan that defines training objectives and goals for the trainee(s). Based on the number of employees, employers may receive up to a seventy-five (75) percent reimbursement of hourly wages paid to a trainee. This reimbursement serves as an incentive to encourage employers to hire individuals who do not have all of the required skills for a particular job. This program is designed to fulfill the employment needs of local employers by providing a trained workforce while increasing productivity and profits.

The goals of the OJT program are permanent employment upon successful completion of training; placement into occupations that are long-term; and to build a skilled workforce for a growing Alabama economy. More information on the OJT Program can be found in the OJT Brochure.

Apprenticeship Alabama follows the U.S. Department of Labor guidelines for apprenticeships and focuses on five industry sectors targeted in the state’s strategic plan for growth, Accelerate Alabama:

• Healthcare
• Construction/Carpentry
• Information Technology
• Distribution/Transportation/Logistics
• Advanced Manufacturing/Industrial Maintenance

The groundwork for Apprenticeship Alabama was laid in May 2016 when the Alabama Legislature passed Senate Bill 90, sponsored by Senator Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, creating the state’s Apprenticeship Tax Credit. Senator Orr worked with Ed Castile, deputy secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce and director of AIDT, to research state apprenticeship programs and draft a plan for Alabama.

Whether you are an employer looking to hire, train or retain a skilled workforce, or a worker looking for a new career in a well-paying occupation, RAs can help you achieve your goals.

Please click the link for more information regarding Apprenticeship Alabama.

Work-Based Learning provides students with educational opportunities that typically cannot be replicated in the classroom. Work-based experiences are designed to connect information learned in the classroom with skills obtained in an occupational setting as an apprentice or intern. Work-based learning promotes improved skills, higher efficiency and the availability of a better-trained labor pool that encourages business growth and productivity. Well-managed work-based learning experiences build confidence in the school system and have benefits for the student, employer, mentor, school, and community.

Please visit this LINK for more information about work-based learning and how to apply.