In response to lower academic credential completion rates among apprentices due to employer-designated training, the Business and Technology Division at Delta College launched an apprenticeship expansion initiative. Since its implementation, this effort has led to higher completion rates and increased employer engagement in the region.  

Innovation and Approach 

The apprenticeship expansion initiative centered on three key priorities to prepare the college for expanding registered apprenticeship opportunities in the Great Lakes Bay region. 

• Converting Related Instruction (RI) training into credit-bearing academic credentials.
• Strengthening employer engagement through surveying and collaboration with employers. 
• Redesigning the admissions application process for apprentices to streamline enrollment and improve transparency.

Implementation

Credential Alignment 

Pathway revitalization supports Delta College's strategic plan by emphasizing student engagement, retention, and completion. The Apprenticeship Office reviewed trade-specific RI from each of the largest employers in the region, comparing them for continuity. Similar to a common core methodology, capturing the commonalities in training can equate to more than RI; it can result in an academic credential for students upon completion of their training through realignment rather than a curriculum rebuild. The 2025-2026 catalog introduced the adapted changes. As a result, students are now eligible for an academic certificate and are closer to earning an associate degree.

Approximately one-third of Delta College students are aged 25 and above (Delta College, n.d.), and their professional backgrounds merit recognition within academic pathways. According to McCarthy, Palmer, and Prebil (2017), with the exception of the skilled trades, career advancement in the United States is also increasingly linked to associate or bachelor's degrees. By aligning RI with academic pathways, the college is fulfilling an obligation to students, recognizing their prior experiences and learning, and providing clear routes to success. 

Employer-Facing Systems 

Delta College's semiannual apprenticeship advisory committee meetings provide a key venue for employer feedback. The well-attended meetings allow regional employers to openly discuss areas in which the college can improve its processes. Employers identified the need for reliable attendance reporting, early alert interventions for apprentices experiencing academic challenges, and accurate and timely billing. In response, the Apprenticeship Office implemented systemwide improvements to reduce paperwork and streamline tracking and reporting for employer partners.  

Based on advisory feedback, the Apprenticeship Office introduced a new progress reporting tool for employers to proactively monitor academic performance. The progress report is given to apprentices to have faculty fill out in class and enables employers to assume a proactive role in supporting apprentice success. Similar to employers who pay their employees to attend classes through education reimbursement programs, apprentices in our earn-and-learn model must attend class regularly and earn a passing grade. 

Attendance is a critical aspect of the college-to-employer relationship, as approximately 30 percent of apprentices obtaining their training at Delta College are paid by their employers while attending classes (Delta College, 2025a). Errors in attendance-taking or late reports can directly affect payroll processes. Faculty now enter apprentice attendance hours directly into the comment field in the self-service system. This adjustment, which faculty say is easier for them to adhere to, eliminates the need for staff to collect hard copy attendance sheets or reconcile the multiple reporting methods used by faculty. Employers receive updated attendance information as early as the following day, improving timely decision-making.

Finally, the Apprenticeship Office worked with the Student Billing Office to simplify class enrollment authorizations. Previously, employers were required to send at least one enrollment authorization form per apprentice per semester, totaling 600-900 forms a year. Now, an employer can send one blanket authorization form per apprentice, which covers the sponsored student for the duration of their training at Delta College.

Admissions Application Redesign

In collaboration with the Admissions Department, we developed a customized application link for employers to share with new apprentices. This link instantly identifies a new student as an apprentice and connects them to the Apprenticeship Office. It also enables the collection of required information from the start. The link tailored the registration process, highlighting apprentice programs, services, and the information most relevant to them, increasing efficiency and transparency.

Employers note significant improvements due to process updates. "Delta College has made a real difference in how we schedule classes," said Scott Dennis, UAW Apprenticeship Coordinator for Nexteer Automotive in Saginaw, Michigan. "Registering apprentices used to take a lot of time back and forth. Now the process is much faster and easier, which helps everyone involved."

Lessons Learned 

The team experienced several challenges, resulting in trial and error to find workable solutions. Processes operated across multiple departments, meaning even minor adjustments required coordination with Student and Educational Services, the Office of Information Technology, and employers. Previously, apprentices would apply to the college through the public application. The team explored adding an identifier to student profiles which would indicate sponsorship, but it was determined that apprentices needed their own application. This example demonstrates that streamlining systems entailed more than we initially anticipated and broadened the project's scope. Ensuring accurate system communication and minimizing inefficiencies across the college necessitated patience, time, and extensive testing with all stakeholders. By addressing credential alignment, employer systems, and admissions simultaneously, Delta College offers a scalable blueprint for institutions seeking to modernize registered apprenticeship pathways.

Impact and Future Growth 

To ensure meaningful effect on the college and stakeholders, the Apprenticeship Office monitors several key performance indicators, both quantitative and qualitative, to track apprenticeship expansion and tell the story of the initiative’s impact. The first is ongoing evaluation of employer feedback through advisory meetings and surveys, which will help assess the effectiveness of the work and identify opportunities for further improvement.

Early results are positive. Ninety percent of employers are utilizing progress reports to monitor academic progress and engagement in courses (Delta College, 2025c). In addition, academic credential opportunities launched in the 2025-2026 catalog demonstrate that apprentice engagement has increased significantly. In the winter 2025 term, 29 percent of completers earned a credential, followed by 47 percent in spring. In fall 2025, 86 percent of completers qualified for a credential (Delta College, 2025b). While early indications of the initiative are positive, continuous tracking of credential completion will be necessary to assess the initiative's overall success. A continuous review cycle, modeled after program review, will help identify opportunities for improvement. This evaluation strategy ensures that innovations remain responsive, effective, and aligned with the region's workforce needs. 

The apprenticeship expansion initiative has produced streamlined processes and innovative credential alignment, allowing Delta College to increase opportunities in the Great Lakes Bay Region and to support regional employers in building the talent pipeline for years to come. 

References 

Delta College. (n.d.). 2025 five year capital outlay plan. https://www.delta.edu/transparency/capital-outlay-plan/2025-capital-outlay-plan.html

Delta College. (2025a). Apprenticeship attendance reporting [Unpublished internal data].  Apprenticeship Office.

Delta College. (2025b). Apprenticeship completion reporting [Unpublished internal data]. Apprenticeship Office.

Delta College. (2025c). Apprenticeship progress reporting [Unpublished internal data]. Apprenticeship Office.

McCarthy, M. A., Palmer, I., & Prebil, M. (2017). Connecting apprenticeship and higher education: Eight recommendations. New America. 

Sue Roche is Associate Dean, Business and Technology, and Gerald Russell is Apprenticeship Manager at Delta College in University Center, Michigan.

Opinions expressed in Innovation Showcase are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the League for Innovation in the Community College.