Our Partnerships With Education Providers

At IAA, we believe that learners should have the opportunity to receive credit for college-level learning that takes place outside of the traditional college environment. We've partnered with various institutions of higher education to open a pathway for college credit for our apprenticeship programs.

We also partner with other education providers who deliver education, referred to as related instruction, for apprenticeship programs. When we combine our strengths, we can expand opportunities beyond our geographic areas and our areas of expertise. Please explore below the ways we've worked with education providers.

IAA’s programs and certificates are employer sponsored and are not accredited by any national, regional or state accrediting organization. Units earned at IAA are transferable to other post-secondary education institutions at the discretion of the receiving institution. 

In order to provide IAA program graduates with a cost-free leg up toward completing a degree, IAA has entered into agreements with various accredited, degree-granting institutions. Some of these institutions are described below, along with descriptions of non-accredited training partners.

IAA's relationship with Burlington College began in 2001, when the College reviewed the Medical Transcription program curriculum. As a result, graduates of the Medical Transcript program were awarded cost-free college credits and a Certificate in Medical Transcription. In 2005, through an articulation agreement between IAA and Burlington College, graduates of advanced manufacturing programs were eligible to receive between 27 and 42 cost-free college credits and a Certificate in Advanced Machine Tool Technology from the College.

In 2015 our relationship expanded to include a review of all of our program curricula, resulting in an opportunity to receive cost-free college credits in any of the programs where IAA staff, who were also adjunct faculty of Burlington College, delivered the content.

In 2017 after the closure of Burlington College, IAA entered into an articulation agreement with Columbia College of South Carolina. Under this agreement, all IAA programs were reviewed by the College's curriculum committee and faculty senate. This resulted in the ability for individuals in all IAA programs to earn between 24 and 45 college credits toward an Associate's degree without cost to the student. Upon completion of 15 additional credits earned online, typically consisting of general education course requirements, IAA program graduates would complete an Associate's Degree.

IAA staff have collaborated with faculty and staff at Onondoga Community College to build their capacity for apprenticeship programs. IAA was also a co-applicant on a successful multi-million dollar grant application to expand apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing.

Beginning in 2005, IAA developed and delivered both multi-employer and single-employer advanced manufacturing programs to serve our advanced manufacturing employer-partners. In addition to receiving a certificate of completion from IAA and a Registered Apprenticeship certificate, program graduates in New Hampshire were eligible to receive between 27 and 42 college credits and a Certificate in Advanced Machine Tool Technology from River Valley Community College (RVCC) through an articulation agreement between IAA and RVCC. Students who completed additional requirements were also eligible to obtain an Associate of Science from RVCC.

For over a dozen years, IAA has partnered with Tooling U-SME, incorporating its competency-based advanced manufacturing curriculum into all advanced manufacturing apprenticeship program related instruction. IAA and its advanced manufacturing employer-partners have found the curriculum to be an efficient and effective supplement to the classroom learning model. In many programs, students are eligible to earn cost-free college credits for their Tooling U work.

IAA staff have collaborated with faculty and staff at Trukee Meadows Community College to build their capacity for apprenticeship programs. IAA was also a co-applicant on a successful multi-million dollar grant application to expand apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing. 

IAA has partnered with University of Phoenix (UOPX) to offer an apprenticeship-to-degree pathway from registered apprenticeship programs to associate and bachelor degrees. Apprentices earn cost-free college credits during their apprenticeship which can be applied toward degree pathways at UOPX. These degreed apprenticeship pathways provide a unique approach to workforce opportunities, retention and cultivation of talent, benefiting individuals who face barriers to high-quality employment and to academic degrees.  

A collaborated program between IAA and Vermont State Colleges provides students with the opportunity to earn college transfer credits for some IAA programs. Prospective students are notified of the option if the program they are applying for is covered under the articulation agreement. Upon acceptance into a designated IAA program, students will be informed as to the process to earn credits, if the program applies. An official referral from IAA is required for students enrolling under the terms of this agreement. 

IAA staff have collaborated with faculty and staff at West Los Angeles College to build their capacity for apprenticeship programs. IAA was also a co-applicant on a successful multi-million dollar grant application to expand apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing.