Math is the number once challenge facing all first year students.  In an effort to ensure their success in the apprenticeship program all first year students are required to complete the ALEKS Assessment and Training no later than one (1) week prior to their first day of their first semester class or they will be cancelled from the Apprenticeship Program. ALEKS is an on-line tutorial program that uses artificial intelligence to determine what a student knows and what he or she is ready to learn.

All WECA apprentices shall be required to attend classroom instruction eight hours a day, five days a week, for two weeks per semester, two semesters a year, unless otherwise scheduled. There shall be approximately six (6) months between semesters whenever possible for OJT field experience and training.

Member Contractors should not require WECA apprentices to work during the four weeks that they are scheduled to attend classroom instruction each year. Class schedules allow multiple start dates to provide contractors some flexibility as to when an apprentice(s) will be away from the job. WECA will make every effort to avoid scheduling apprentices who work for the same contractor to attend the same semester.



MEMBER REQUESTS FOR APPRENTICE CLASS CHANGE

When a WECA apprentice is assigned a class schedule, his or her Member Contractor will be allowed to transfer the apprentice from that semester to a later semester with written permission from the Training Director only if the assigned class schedule would cause a significant hardship to the company.

It is the contractor's responsibility to provide the Training Director, at least 30 days before the start of the apprentice's currently assigned class schedule, with a written request to transfer him or her to a later semester. A contractor must notify the apprentice of his or her assigned class schedule change request on the same day the request letter is mailed to the Training Director. WECA will notify both the contractor and the apprentice within seven (7) calendar days after receiving the request as to whether the request has been approved or denied.

With few exceptions (considered on a case-by-case basis), a contractor may request that an apprentice's assigned class schedule to be changed only once during a class year. Delaying one semester automatically moves all semesters thereafter forward, increasing the apprentice's training time and the training costs paid by the contractor. A contractor's request to change an apprentice's assigned class schedule will not be approved if the change will delay his or her progression in a Program by more than nine (9) months.

To recap, a change of assigned class schedule will be granted based on a contractor's written request, the availability of classrooms and instructors, sufficient OJT hours accumulated by the apprentice, and written permission from the Training Director. If there are extenuating circumstances the contractor must be willing to work with the Training Director to reach a solution.



APPRENTICE LAYOFF TO ATTEND CLASS

If a WECA apprentice or trainee is laid off by his or her Member Contractor in order to attend a semester at a WECA Training Center, he or she is to return to his or her pre-semester contractor when that two-week semester is completed, unless otherwise notified by WECA or by the contractor.

Apprentices are eligible to apply for State of California unemployment benefits due to attending mandatory training.



APPRENTICE REQUESTS FOR CLASS CHANGE

A WECA apprentice will be mailed information about each two-week semester of his or her current class year approximately 60 days before a semester begins.

After receiving this information, if the apprentice determines he or she is unable to begin the semester on the scheduled start date (due to one of the three circumstances A, B, or C listed below), it is his or her responsibility to immediately contact the WECA Sacramento Office to discuss the situation with the Customer Consultant and to request, fill out and submit the required Student Class Change form.

Apprentice semester change requests will be considered/approved/denied by the Training Director based on several factors, including his or her contractor's requirements and his or her OJT hours. A written decision will be mailed to both the apprentice and the contractor.

Semester Change Request Circumstances
A. Preplanned Events
B. Childbirth/Child Adoption
C. Severe Illness/Death

(For more information on A, B and C, call the Customer Consultant.)

A WECA apprentice's entire Term of Apprenticeship may extend past the originally estimated Program completion date as a result of a semester change.

WECA may grant an apprentice no more than one semester change request per class year due to one of the circumstances above. WECA will not consider an apprentice's change request made during the course of a two-week semester.



CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION HOURS
(RELATED AND SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION, OR RSI)

A WECA apprentice must accumulate a minimum of 160 classroom instruction hours within his or her two semesters (four weeks) within each class year to progress academically to the next class year.

Only the time that an apprentice is recorded as being physically present in the classroom, verified daily by both a sign-in and a sign-out sheet bearing his or her signatures, is accrued toward this 160-hour minimum. This procedure is necessary to meet State DAS requirements and cannot be adjusted by WECA staff for any reason.

If a student misses any classroom instruction time, discipline points will be taken and the missed time must be made up by the end of the 2-week semester or the Apprentice will fail in their class.  If circumstances prevent the student from making up the missed classroom instructions time before the end of the 2-week semester, they will be required to submit a written request for an extension of no more than 30 days from the date of their absence or tardy.  This request will be reviewed and approved or denied by the Training director.  If the missed hours are made up within the 30 days, the grades will be re-issued to reflect the grad earned during class.

In order to accommodate emergencies where an Apprentice must miss class time, the Apprenticeship and Training Committee (ATC) approved a policy that makes provisions for an apprentice to have their discipline points revoked for previously un-excused absences or tardies. The "Absence and Tardy Revocation Upon Proof of Special Circumstances Policy" states that an Apprentice may request to have his/her points re-instated as a result of an absence or tardy from class if the reason meets one of the acceptable excuses.  Please see the WECA Student Handbook for a list of excusable absences.  Requests will be reviewed by the Apprentice & Training Committee and the Apprentice will be notified of the Committee's decision.

Tutoring is available for apprentices, but they must request and arrange it with their instructors. There is no charge for tutoring.



CLASS YEAR PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS

A WECA apprentice will advance academically to the next class year if:

• He or she completes a minimum of 160 classroom instruction hours
• He or she achieves a GPA of 70 percent or greater by the end of his/her second two-week semester within each class