Iowa CHW Registered Apprenticeship FAQs
Registered Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, receive progressive wage increases, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential. Registered Apprenticeships are industry-vetted and approved and validated by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. You can learn more about Registered Apprenticeships in general by visiting this website.
The CHW Registered Apprenticeship is a comprehensive learning experience to develop and build the skills of new and seasoned CHWs and other front-line professionals committed to advancing community health. Employers benefit by ensuring CHWs have well-developed skills and knowledge preparation for their work. Approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and offered through the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, the CHW Registered Apprenticeship is a one-year program that includes 2,000- 2,200 hours of on-the-job learning and classroom instruction delivered in a weekly live, virtual format over a 23-week period. In addition to the weekly classes, there are required readings, assignments and quizzes.
The CHW Apprenticeship provides a richer overall training experience. The combination of on-the-job, mentored training and live, online instruction with faculty interaction, guest speakers and thorough examination of the topics, along with the ability to interact with other learners provides for more in-depth learning.
The US Department of Labor has approved ICCC’s CHW Registered Apprenticeship and provides a National CHW Credential for successful graduates.
The CHW Registered Apprenticeship offers employers a way to meaningfully support, lift, advance the skills of their own workforce while providing employees with a nationally approved training and credential. Employers note the value to employee recruitment and retention; the robust training experience; the opportunity of participants to interact with training faculty and other CHWs; the benefit of offering and supporting skills and career development to employees; and the ease of working with ICCC as an intermediary apprenticeship provider.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
High school diploma or equivalent required.
US Citizenship is required to access the tuition waiver and/or financial stipend; however, it is not required to participate in the Registered Apprenticeship.
Having the ability to read and understand spoken English will be important for students, though the asynchronous (pre-recorded, on demand) platform will allow for re-viewing the content to reinforce the material.
Yes. The CHW Registered Apprenticeship requires a partnership between the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, the employer, and the learner.
Since apprentices and the employer have agreed to participate in the CHW Registered Apprenticeship, if an apprentice does not complete the 2,000-2,2000 hours of on-the-job training or the classroom instruction (called related instruction), whether there is a consequence to the apprentice will be determined by the employer, not by ICCC.
Failure to successfully complete all components of the CHW Registered Apprenticeship, will result in the inability to award the DOL national CHW credential. However, apprentices may still be able to complete the live, online related instruction and receive a non-credit certificate from an Iowa community college and the ICCC CHW Professional Skills Certificate.
There are several requirements for employers as determined by the US Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship program. The ICCC CHW Registered Apprenticeship is based on the Intermediary Apprenticeship model which means that ICCC manages some of the requirements. Still, employers must:
• Agree to participate in the CHW Registered Apprenticeship program
• Provide a designated individual to mentor or supervise the apprentice
• Provide on the job learning based on the apprenticeship’s Work Processes for CHWs (click here to see ICCC’s Apprenticeship Work Processes)
• Advance the apprentice’s compensation based on skills gained per ICCC guidelines (if not compensating at a higher level)
• Evaluate the apprentice’s performance and maintain human resources records for the required time period
• Provide required information to ICCC
Successful graduates of the CHW Registered Apprenticeship will earn a National CHW Credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. Visit the FAQ on certification to learn more.
The ICCC CHW Registered Apprenticeship program a year-long learning experience with 2,000-2,200 hours of on the job learning and 23 weeks of related instruction. In some instances, up to 1,000 hours of the required on the job learning may be credited, which would shorten the overall length required to complete the apprenticeship.
Tuition Waiver for CHW Registered Apprenticeship FAQs
Opportunities for waving (eliminating) the $2,500.00 tuition cost may be available to qualified applicants who live in or work in Iowa. Details regarding qualifying for the tuition waiver can be found here.
Individuals who presently live or work in Iowa and meet other eligibility requirements may qualify. To see the eligibility requirements for the CHW Registered Apprenticeship, click here.
The current tuition waiver program being provided through Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) will be available through September 2025 or until allocated waivers are granted. This could occur prior to that date.
Trainees receiving support from grant funds must be a citizen of the United States or a foreign national having possession of a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.
Training Stipends for CHW Registered Apprenticeship FAQs
A stipend is a sum of money paid at regular times for expenses. In the CHW Registered Apprenticeship training program, stipends in the amount of $5,000 are available to eligible training participants due to a grant received by the State of Iowa. Participants will determine how best to use the stipend funds awarded. The stipend will be delivered in two payments based on the learner’s participation and successful completion of the training. Stipends will be treated as 1099 income for tax purposes.
Eligibility for the stipend may largely depend on the learner’s employer. As long as the employer’s policies allow employees to receive stipend compensation, most individuals who are accepted and successfully enroll in the CHW Registered Apprenticeship will be eligible for the stipend until stipend funds are depleted.
No. State employees are welcome to participate in the CHW training and are eligible for the tuition waiver. However, collecting a financial stipend is against policy for state employees.
The stipend to the participant for the CHW Registered Apprenticeship is $5,000. Half of the stipend is paid within a few weeks after the participant begins the CHW course, and the remaining half will be paid upon successful completion of the course.
The stipend is provided to training participants to provide any supports needed to complete the training. Should a participant be unable to complete training, the first half of the stipend will not need to be returned. The second payment will be made only on successful completion.
The current stipend program being provided through Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) will be available through September 2025 or until allocated stipends are depleted. This could occur prior to that date.
Stipend resources can be utilized by the participant as they elect. Some examples include using stipend funds for transportation, childcare, computers or internet access.
Trainees receiving support from grant funds must be a citizen of the United States or a foreign national having possession of a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.