2018 RETA Breeze Jul-Aug

RETA TESTIng coRnER no. 8

RETA’s Testing and AnSI guru

Dr. Ron Rodgers, RETA’s Psychometrician (testing expert) and ANSI Accreditation Manager, has guided

• FASTPORT, a DOL Industry Intermediary for Apprenticeship • Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) • International Institute for Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) • Lanier Technical College e three-year program targets training and supervised work experience to meet the needs of industrial refrigeration employers. Apprentices are paid progressively higher wages as they gain knowledge and skills through training and on the job learning. Each apprentice must earn three RETA credentials as they advance through the program. • Apprentices must pass CARO by the end of their probationary period of up to nine months of training and 1,500 hours of work experience. • After two years on the job, apprentices must pass CIRO before they can move to the third stage of their apprenticeship experience. • Each apprentice must earn the new RETA Service Technician (RST) credential before nishing the program. RETA will start RST exams in the summer of 2018. e fourth RETA credential involved in the program is RETA-Authorized Instructor (RAI). RETA will encourage employers and training programs to use RAIs where feasible. Other instructors will be invited to enroll in RETA’s Train the Trainer course and to demonstrate

comparable skills by earning the RAI credential. Most apprenticeship opportunities start with an employer who registers as a RETA apprenticeship sponsor. Employers and apprenticeship candidates may begin by using the link at https://www.nationalapprenticeship. org/. FASTPORT will provide technical support to help employers through this process or to match individual applicants with sponsored apply to RETA, FASTPORT or to an employer who has registered as a RETA apprenticeship sponsor. Application details and additional information is available on the Apprenticeship screen on the RETA website. Apprentices with GI Bill eligibility may receive additional support from the VA while they are in RETA’s apprenticeship program. e Post-9/11 GI Bill provides a stipend that is the equivalent of the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) of an E-5 with dependents, which varies as progressive wage increases from the employer occur. Many Registered Apprenticeships also receive bene ts for classroom training; apprentices also can receive bene ts for books and supplies. We welcome your questions about RETA’s credentialing exams and activities. Send your questions by email to Dan Reisinger at dan@reta.com. apprenticeship opportunities. Apprenticeship candidates may

development of all RETA credentialing exams since 2002. RETA Testing Corner provides

information and answers questions from RETA members, candidates and others to help them earn and bene t from RETA credentials. RETA is leading a consortium of six refrigeration industry organizations as administrator of a new national apprenticeship program for industrial refrigeration operators and mechanics that includes four RETA credentialing exams and the U.S. Departments of Labor (USDOL) and Veterans A airs (VA). RETA is inviting employers to use the program to train and credential new industrial refrigeration professionals. e program also includes special opportunities and bene ts for many military veterans. Five industry organizations have joined RETA as co-sponsors in creating the Ammonia Gas Refrigeration Mechanics apprenticeship consortium. RETA is serving as program administrator. Co- sponsors are assisting in recruitment of employers and apprentices. • Ammonia Refrigeration Foundation (ARF)

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