[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 166 (Monday, August 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43708-43709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18478]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request, Evaluation of the American Apprenticeship 
Initiative, New Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95). This program helps to ensure that 
requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden 
(time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are 
clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on 
respondents is properly assessed. Currently, DOL is soliciting comments 
concerning the collection of data on the Evaluation of the American 
Apprenticeship Initiative. A copy of the proposed Information 
Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office 
listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before October 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods:
    Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Janet Javar, 
Chief Evaluation Office, OASP, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-2312, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Instructions: Please 
submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All submissions 
received must include the agency name and OMB Control Number identified 
above for this information collection. Comments, including any personal 
information provided, become a matter of public record. They will also 
be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the 
information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Janet Javar by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. Background: The American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) awarded 
funds to 46 grantees to support the expansion of quality and innovative 
apprenticeship training programs. The Department of Labor is sponsoring 
an evaluation of this initiative that includes the following four 
components:
    1. An implementation study to describe how AAI programs develop, 
operate and mature.
    2. An outcomes study to examine in-program and post-program 
outcomes of participants in apprenticeships, particularly around 
employment, earnings, wages, and employment retention, as well as pre-
intervention and post-intervention certification and credential 
attainment.
    3. A return on investment (ROI) study to estimate the benefits and 
costs of apprenticeship to employers.
    4. An impact study to assess the efforts of select AAI grantees to 
sell apprenticeships to employers and to assist employers in 
registration of apprenticeships.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
two proposed new information collection activities that will be used in 
the evaluation:
     Employer survey--a key source of information for the ROI 
study, the employer survey will be used to generate an estimate of the 
returns employers can expect by investing in apprenticeship programs. 
This on-line survey asks about the firm's characteristics, sponsorship, 
apprenticeship structure, and specific questions about the costs and 
benefits employers experience by offering apprenticeship.
     Participant survey--a key source of information for the 
outcomes study, the survey gathers information about the participants' 
experience in an AAI apprenticeship. The survey includes questions on 
an apprentice's background prior to apprenticeship, apprenticeship 
experiences, skills and knowledge gained, and outcomes. The survey will 
use a bi-modal approach: on-line with telephone follow-up as needed.
    A separate information collection activity notice on interview 
protocols for implementation study site visits, a grantee survey, and a 
management information system (MIS) for the impact study was published 
on September 13, 2017 (82 FR 43038). These collection activities will 
commence once the information collection request is approved.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: DOL is soliciting comments 
concerning the above data collection for the Evaluation of the American 
Apprenticeship Initiative. DOL is particularly interested in comments 
that do the following:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology--for example, 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    III. Current Actions: At this time, DOL is requesting clearance for 
the survey of employers affiliated with AAI grantees and for the survey 
of participants served through AAI grants.

[[Page 43709]]



                                             Estimated Burden Hours
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                                                                                  Average burden
    Type of instrument (form/        Number of       Number of     Total number      hour per        Estimated
            activity)               respondents    responses per   of responses    response (in    burden hours
                                        \a\         respondent                        hours)
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Employer Survey.................         400 \b\               1             400               1             400
Participant Survey..............         667 \c\               1             667             0.5             334
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    Totals......................           1,067  ..............           1,067  ..............             734
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\a\ We are seeking a clearance period of three years.
\b\ Assumes a sample of 3,000 employers with a 40 percent response rate.
\c\ Assumes a sample of 2,500 participants with an 80 percent response rate.

    Type of Review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1290-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Employers offering registered apprenticeships 
through affiliation with AAI grantees and participants in AAI 
apprenticeships.

    Dated: August 20, 2018.
Molly Irwin,
Chief Evaluation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2018-18478 Filed 8-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P