§ 26 §3213 — Preapprenticeship training programs

1.
Application; eligibility.
A sponsor may apply with the Maine Apprenticeship Program for review and certification of a preapprenticeship training program.
2.
Eligibility.
To be eligible for certification, a preapprenticeship training program must:
3.
Certification.
The Maine Apprenticeship Program shall review an application for certification of a preapprenticeship training program and shall give a preapprenticeship training program that meets the standards for certification a provisional certification for a period of one year. The Maine Apprenticeship Program shall review a preapprenticeship training program for quality and conformity with the requirements of this section at the end of the first year after certification. A program that conforms to the requirements may have its provisional certification made permanent or may continue to be provisionally certified through the first full training cycle.
4.
Evaluation.
The Maine Apprenticeship Program shall evaluate the performance of a certified preapprenticeship training program. The evaluation must include:
5.
Decertification.
The Maine Apprenticeship Program may decertify a preapprenticeship training program upon a finding of reasonable cause or by request of the program.
6.
Funding.
As funds are available, the Maine Apprenticeship Program, through the department and in consultation with the Maine Apprenticeship Council, as considered appropriate and permissible by the department, shall make available grants to support certified preapprenticeship training programs under this section. A certified preapprenticeship training program shall use the grants to provide meaningful support and stipends to facilitate enrollment and participation in the program. Support may include funding for child care, transportation, training materials, membership fees and costs, tools and personal protective equipment and reimbursement of other expenses that may be incurred by an individual to facilitate the individual's attendance and participation in the certified preapprenticeship training program; funding for assistance to address obstacles to and to identify and access services necessary for successful participation in the certified preapprenticeship training program; and funding for facilitating an individual's readiness to commence on-the-job learning in a registered apprenticeship program. Stipends may include cash payments. In allocating grants among certified preapprenticeship training programs, the Maine Apprenticeship Program shall allocate at least 51% of total grant funding to support certified preapprenticeship training programs that have:
7.
Rulemaking.
The department shall adopt routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A to implement the provisions of this section.

Legislative History

PL 2021, c. 705, §12 (NEW). PL 2025, c. 306, §1 (AMD).