Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Counselor Apprenticeship

As part of our Apprenticeship Programs, FHI 360 is partnering with New Ways to Work to develop a Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Counselor Apprenticeship. This apprenticeship equips direct services employers with the resources they need to recruit workers with life experiences relevant to the communities they serve.

Through a combination of paid on-the-job learning (OJL) and coursework, apprentices will gain an alternative, rigorous, and rewarding point of entry into a profession that traditionally requires post-secondary education. Upon completion, program participants receive a national credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. To learn more, read our fact sheet.

Peer Support Specialist Apprenticeship

As part of our Apprenticeship Programs, FHI 360’s Peer Support Specialist Apprenticeship partners with the Public Works Alliance (PWA) to train apprentices who have experienced recovery from personal and societal challenges. These include substance use disorder, PTSD, the re-entry process, and many other challenges. This shared experience enables apprentices to support others who are going through similar hardships.

By partnering with FHI 360, employers can use this apprenticeship to reinforce a holistic approach in their mental health services. Apprentices who complete their apprenticeship earn a national credential from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). To learn more, consult our fact sheet.

Learning and Workforce Development Overview

IWL’s programs serve youth and young adults in career exploration, workforce development, and education to career transitions – all to serve the greater workforce environment in a way that benefits workers, learners, and employers. Read the full overview to learn more.

Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship

As part of IWL’s Apprenticeship Programs, the Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship trains apprentices in youth-supporting fields through 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning and 165 hours of coursework where they learn skills such as positive youth development, coaching, career case management and more. Upon completing the program, apprentices receive a nationally recognized credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. To learn more, read this fact sheet.

Second Chance Act Post-Release Rapid Employment Program

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Second Chance Act Post-Release Rapid Employment Program (PREP) used evidence-based trainings to prepare individuals for employment after leaving incarceration in North Carolina through a partnership between FHI 360’s Institute for Work and Learning, Erika’s Closet, and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Read the full fact sheet to learn more!

Community Health Worker Apprenticeship

Developed and implemented in partnership with the Public Works Alliance and Westcoast Children’s Clinic, the Community Health Worker (CHW) Apprenticeship offers a comprehensive career path that ensures a high standard of training in both practical experience and classroom learning. Through the apprenticeship, participants are better able to serve as health advocates for their communities. 

Read the full fact sheet to learn more!

Compass Rose Outcome Indicators Overview

FHI 360’s Institute for Work and Learning (IWL) provides support to education providers, workforce trainers, and their local partners to improve education and employment outcomes for youth aged 18-24 involved with the criminal legal system. Using a statistical lens, this document details the impact of IWL’s five U.S. Department of Labor-funded Compass Rose Collaborative re-entry programs operating between 2017 and 2024.

Second chances: Career coaching leads to fresh starts in Kentucky

For Second Chance month, we spoke to Olivia Murphy, who serves as senior career coach (and now youth program manager) for The Spot: Young Adult Opportunity Center in Louisville, KY. The story highlights how KentuckianaWorks navigates the challenges of life after incarceration, and how their impact encourages people to embrace second chances.

Read the full story to learn more.

Institute for Work and Learning Apprenticeships

FHI 360’s IWL Apprenticeships bring together experts in workforce development to expand existing nationally registered apprenticeship programs (RAPs), such as the Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship (YDPA) and develop new opportunities within the care economy such as youth services, peer support, substance-use counseling, and mental health counseling.

Upon completion, apprentices receive a nationally recognized credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. Read the fact sheet to learn more.

Breaking the Cycle: How Two YDPA Apprentices Are Healing Their Communities

“To me, that’s the biggest message with this apprenticeship — this is the perfect way to learn how to change lives.”

As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2024, we highlight two Lake County Youth Development Practitioner Apprentices who use their work to break the cycles of trauma and heal their communities: Luis Garcia Jr. and Jenessa Armstrong. Click here to read about their journeys in becoming the person they wanted to have in their corner growing up.