CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE EDUCATION ACCREDITATION
Requirements
Based on the current workforce education accreditation standards, to be considered for accreditation, a program in apprenticeship education must:
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Be located in an Institution or in an organization that provides a program of education beyond that of the secondary level;
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Be a construction trade-related Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) in good standing with the US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (OA) as outlined in 29 CFR Part 29.
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Have had at least one graduation cohort; and
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Have been in operation for sufficient time to permit an objective evaluation by ACCE of its educational program.
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Seeking Accreditation
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Are you interested in submitting a Program or Institution for ACCE Accreditation?
ACCREDITATION PROCESS TIMELINE
To initiate the process, the institution desiring to pursue ACCE accreditation contacts the ACCE President to obtain relevant documentation. Documents are available at here. The ACCE President will provide guidance on their use. Contact the ACCE office by phone at (972) 600-8800 or by email at acce@acce-hq.org.
The Institution provides ACCE with an application for Candidate Status. A Program may remain in Candidate Status for five years.
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ACCE will set up a OneDrive folder for the Program to upload their documents.
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ACCE will send invoice for current applicable Application Fee
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ACCE will provide a Mentor to assist with the documentation and preparations
The Program uploads their documents to the OneDrive folder.
ACCE reviews the submitted documents to determine whether or not to admit the Program into Candidate Status.
The Program develops their Self-Evaluation Study and submits the document via OneDrive for ACCE review.
If the review of the Self-Evaluation Study indicates that the Program is ready for a site visit, a Visiting Team is organized and a visit scheduled. If issues remain that require resolution, the site visit will be deferred until they are corrected.
A site visit is conducted to verify the contents of the Self-Evaluation Study and that the program is in compliance with ACCE standards. ACCE will send an invoice for the current applicable fee to cover the costs of the visit.
The Visiting Team submits a report of the site visit to the ACCE Board of Trustees who makes the final decision regarding award of accreditation during one of ACCE's Semi-Annual Conferences
ACCE notifies the institution immediately of the Board's decision. A letter to the Institution is sent regarding the terms of the award of accreditation.
CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE EDUCATION (CWE) LEADERS’
PERSPECTIVES ON VALUE OF ACCE ACCREDITATION
“ACCE is a pioneer in Construction Workforce Education accreditation. Their efforts to partner with Department of Labor Registered Apprentice Programs will promote nationwide awareness for apprenticeship opportunities for individuals and institutions of higher education. Western States College of Construction is honored to be a part ACCE’s Construction Workforce Education endeavors!”
Heather Sherwood, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Western States College of Construction
“For years, our local and industry partners have searched for ways to promote the excellent career opportunities the apprenticeship training model provides. The American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) is the country’s premier construction accreditation organization and the unquestioned leader in verifying the quality of construction education programs offered throughout the US. Their willingness to create accreditation pathways for US Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programs is invaluable. ACCE accreditation will lend much needed credibility to the rigorous apprenticeship training programs utilized here at Local 208 and around the country. Marian Wright Edelman was quoted as saying “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” By opening additional opportunities to individuals seeking rewarding and successful careers, ACCE without a shadow of a doubt will improve the lives of future pipefitters and make our communities a better place.”
Gary Arnold, Business Manager, Denver Pipefitters Local #208
Board of Directors Chair
Western States College of Construction
“The accreditation process with ACCE was thorough and enlightening. I knew we had a great program going into the process, and ACCE was able to capture the strengths of the program while offering advice on areas of missed opportunity. This insight was valuable in moving our program forward and improving our relationship with our customers.”
Dan Hendricks, Program Director
Denver & Grand Junction Electrical Campuses
Western States College of Construction
Construction Workforce Accreditation Documents and Forms can be found on the Forms & Documents page under the RESOURCES tab above or here.
