Apprenticeships Overview
The Power of Registered Apprenticeships
Registered Apprenticeships combine training with formal education, allowing individuals to earn wages while gaining work experience and industry credentials. Enlisted service members can obtain nationally recognized apprenticeships through their military training and on-the-job training (OTJ).
USMAP: Unlocking Military Apprenticeships
The United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) enables active duty and Full Time Support service members to enhance job skills and meet civilian apprenticeship requirements while on active duty, earning a nationally recognized "Certificate of Completion" from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Specialized Skills in Action
A trade, in civilian terms, aligns with your Rating or MOS, sharing similar tasks and knowledge. USMAP facilitates apprenticeships in eligible trades, highlighting your expertise for a smoother transition to the civilian workforce.
This apprenticeship program has two components ‐ formal classroom instruction and OJT or mastery of competencies.
Formal Classroom Instructions
Each year of apprenticeship (2,000 hours) requires 144 hours of apprenticeship-related training. The classroom training provides you with required background knowledge of the trade. For Navy and Coast Guard, completing "A" school or Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) training usually meets this requirement. For other services, military occupational (MOC) training usually meets this requirement.
If you have not completed military schools or training, formal civilian training such as vocational schools, college classes, trade schools, and correspondence courses may be used to fulfill these requirements.
Contact the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) office before beginning any training program to make sure your training is acceptable.
On-The-Job Training
On-the-job training (OJT) includes the skills you learn and the work experiences you have while working 'in the field,' completing the everyday tasks in the job.
The precise amount of OJT hours required to complete an apprenticeship differs from trade to trade. Explore trade-specific requirements to learn more. Generally, to complete your OJT requirement, you must complete and document between 6,000 to 6,200 total work hours.
Time-Based Apprenticeships
Who is it for?
Service members who are new to an occupation and lack the necessary experience needed for a competency-based apprenticeship.
How is progress measured?
Number of hours spent on the job or in formal learning.
Format of Work Process Schedule (WPS) 
Lists total hours required and an outline of skill areas and associated tasks broken down into hours required for each skill area.
Apprenticeship Process
- Enroll with apprenticeship contract for total hours. Must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 months (before completion can be accomplished).
- Submit monthly logs to supervisor for approval.
- Approved monthly logs are processed, subtracting approved hours from required total for each skill area.
- Submit monthly logs until apprenticeship trade hours are completed.
- Submit final report to a commissioned officer in your chain of command when all Skill Areas have reached zero hours and you have met your one year requirement.
- Final report approved, apprenticeship status changes to complete.
- Retrieve completion documents (Certificate and Journeyworker Card) via self-service website.
Competency-Based Apprenticeships
Who is it for?
Service members E-5 and above who are experienced in their occupation.
How is progress measured?
Ability to demonstrate the application of the relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities of the occupation.
Format of Work Process Schedule (WPS)
Broken down into job functions and related competencies.
Apprenticeship Process
- Enroll with apprenticeship contract. Must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 months (before completion can be accomplished) and must complete all job functions.
- Submit competencies to supervisor for approval of mastery.
- Submit competencies for approval until all competencies are achieved for each job function.
- Approved competencies are documented as achieved.
- Submit final report (all competencies in all Job Functions have been achieved or waived, training complete).
- Final report approved, apprenticeship status changes to complete.
- Retrieve completion documents (Certificate and Journeyworker Card) via self-service website.
