The US Department of Labor (DOL) has officially recognized the first-ever national apprenticeship program for management system auditors. The program from the Independent Association of Accredited Registrars (IAAR) has been established to train and prepare the next generation of talent to audit organization-wide management systems in industries as diverse as aerospace, automotive, and food.

The move is a major accomplishment for management systems auditors and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that rely on them to ensure continuous company improvement.

One of the first professional apprenticeship programs ever registered with the DOL, the IAAR Auditor Apprenticeship (IAA) program, joins DOL’s stable of more than 1,000 established apprenticeship programs, which have produced over 500,000 active apprentices in a variety of occupations.

The launch of the IAA program is the culmination of a three-year effort with The JarrettWagner Group and Workcred—an affiliate of the American National Standards Institute.

The competency-based program creates a pipeline of registered management system auditors, expanding the pool of competent auditors for accredited certification bodies that register companies to ISO management standards. The program allows for earlier entry into this career path, providing a career ladder and living wage.

According to the DOL, a work-based learning model with documented success in boosting economic growth and creating long-term career opportunities for US workers, apprenticeship program graduates earn an average of $300,000 more than non-graduates over their careers. This model provides a flexible post-secondary education and training pathway that includes on-the-job learning experiences, job-related training and technical instruction, rewards for skills gains, and a nationally recognized occupational credential.

The DOL, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship, and American Apprenticeship Initiative provide funding and other assistance to chart new paths forward for innovation and to raise visibility of apprenticeships as viable career path entries.