Executive Director, Apprenticeship Programs & Partnerships

Community College of Rhode Island; Warwick, Northern (RI, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CCRI’s Executive Director for the Office of Apprenticeships leads the development and oversight of pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, and apprenticeship programs, providing paid work experiences while advancing Rhode Island’s workforce goals. The role builds industry partnerships with employers, labor unions, and agencies to create robust, compliant apprenticeship pathways.

Reporting to senior college leadership, you will establish program strategy, assure quality delivery, manage

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, workforce development, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in apprenticeship programs, workforce development, or related areas.
• Strong knowledge of state and federal apprenticeship regulations and labor market trends.
• Experience in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and secure external funding, including grants.
• Strong writing skills with the ability to convey complex subject matter clearly and accurately.
• Demonstrated experience working in a busy, diverse environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience working with employer, industry, and community partners prioritizing organizational needs and structure.
• Demonstrated comprehensive data analysis and assessment skills for program evaluation, learning outcomes, and data management.
• Ability to think creatively to leverage the college’s resources in delivery of workforce training needs.

Responsibilities

• Establish the Office of Apprenticeship.
• Identify and help secure funding to support apprenticeship opportunities.
• Serve as the college’s lead representative and subject matter expert for all apprenticeship matters.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to expand CCRI’s apprenticeship offerings across diverse industries, including manufacturing, residential and commercial construction, healthcare, information technology, hospitality, and emerging industries.
• Work collaboratively with the Division for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to integrate apprenticeship opportunities with existing credit and non-credit programs.
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and evaluation frameworks to assess program quality, student success, employer satisfaction, operational effectiveness, and overall program impact.
• Stay informed on federal, state, and local policies, funding opportunities, and best practices in apprenticeships to ensure compliance and innovation. Supervise departmental staff and work with them to develop and meet key performance indicators; effectively communicate expectations to team members and external stakeholders.
• Remain abreast of trends in apprenticeship, workforce development, labor market demand, employer needs, credential attainment, and work-based learning to ensure programs remain innovative and responsive.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality delivery of all apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, and pre-apprenticeship programs through effective operational oversight, continuous improvement, and adherence to College standards and partner expectations.
• Promote the College’s Office of Apprenticeship to ensure maximum awareness; and effectively manage employer, industry partner, community partner, and stakeholder relationships.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships with employers, trade associations, labor organizations, and state agencies to develop apprenticeship pipelines that meet workforce needs.
• Work with high schools and community organizations to recruit underrepresented populations into apprenticeship programs.
• Collaborate with the Office of Institutional Advancement and other college leaders to secure funding and resources for apprenticeship initiatives.
• Actively develop business and professional relationships, represent the college on relevant committees and boards, and perform regular business and corporate site visits to ensure quality apprenticeship and work-based learning experience and promote training opportunities.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Office of Apprenticeships, including staff supervision, program implementation, quality assurance, budget oversight, reporting, and continuous operational improvement.
• Ensure all pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeship readiness, and apprenticeship programs adhere to state and federal regulations, including registration with the U.S. Department of Labor or the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.
• Monitor apprenticeship program performance using enrollment, completion, retention, employer satisfaction, employment outcomes, and other performance metrics to inform continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
• Collaborate with academic departments, workforce partnership staff, student affairs, and employer partners to ensure apprenticeship programs align with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and workforce needs.
• Collaborate with the faculty and staff to determine areas to award Credit for Prior Learning and build stackable programs for effective onramps for apprenticeships and work-based learning.
• Create, expand, and continuously improve apprenticeship opportunities that provide paid on-the-job learning with related classroom instruction, resulting in high quality career pathways for students and employers.
• Advocate for apprenticeships as a critical workforce strategy by representing CCRI at local, state, and national meetings, conferences, and events.
• Collaborate with CCRI’s Marketing and Communications to develop marketing and outreach plans to raise awareness about apprenticeship opportunities among students, employers, and the broader community.
• Celebrate student and employer success stories through strategic communication campaigns in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications team.
• In collaboration with the Divisional and College Leadership to set and maintain the Office of Apprenticeship budget.
• Work collaboratively with faculty, staff, employers, labor organizations, and community partners to ensure high-quality program delivery, exceptional customer service, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Seek regular feedback from students, employers, faculty, and apprenticeship partners to evaluate program effectiveness and implement continuous quality improvements.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, workforce development, business administration, or a related field

Job description

CCRI’s Executive Director for the Office of Apprenticeships leads the development and oversight of pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, and apprenticeship programs, providing paid work experiences while advancing Rhode Island’s workforce goals. The role builds industry partnerships with employers, labor unions, and agencies to create robust, compliant apprenticeship pathways.

Reporting to senior college leadership, you will establish program strategy, assure quality delivery, manage