What Is Related Technical Instruction (RTI)? An Employer’s Guide
Related technical instruction (RTI) is organized instruction in subjects connected to an apprentice’s occupation. It gives apprentices the technical knowledge that supports supervised work, such as electrical theory, mechanical principles, print reading, and safety concepts. In a registered apprenticeship, the program sponsor plans RTI alongside on-the-job learning and documents progress in both.
For employers, education partners, and workforce development organizations, the task is to select instruction that fits the occupation and connects to the work apprentices perform. This guide explains what RTI covers, how it differs from on-the-job learning, and what to consider when building an industrial training plan.
What Is RTI in an Apprenticeship Program?
RTI is the instructional component of an apprenticeship. It covers technical subjects related to the occupation through classroom instruction, courses, online learning, or other delivery methods accepted under the program’s registered standards.
For an industrial maintenance apprenticeship, RTI might cover electrical fundamentals, motor operation, schematics, bearings, hydraulics, and troubleshooting principles. Apprentices then apply relevant knowledge during supervised work at the facility.
Under the federal standards of apprenticeship, registered programs provide organized instruction in occupation-related technical subjects. The standards also address supervised work experience, periodic evaluations, and progress records. A course can support an apprenticeship program, but the sponsor must determine how that course fits its registered standards and work process schedule.
How Is RTI Different From On-the-Job Learning?
RTI teaches the technical concepts behind the work. On-the-job learning gives apprentices supervised experience with the occupation’s work processes. The two should reinforce each other, while progress in each remains clear in the program’s records.
| Component | Focus |
|---|---|
| Related technical instruction | Teaches the technical and theoretical concepts behind the occupation through classroom, online, or other instruction. |
| On-the-job learning | Provides supervised, hands-on experience with the occupation’s actual work processes. |
These forms of evidence answer different questions. A post-test can show whether an apprentice understands the technical concepts covered in RTI. A supervisor’s evaluation can show whether the apprentice can perform a task correctly in the work setting. Course completion or a post-test score demonstrates instructional progress, but it does not by itself demonstrate an apprentice’s performance during supervised on-the-job learning.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s guidance for creating a registered apprenticeship describes structured on-the-job learning, mentorship, and supplemental education as parts of the program. The sponsor remains responsible for the program when an outside organization provides instruction.
What Subjects Can Industrial RTI Cover?
RTI content should reflect the occupation and its work process schedule. Depending on the program, an industrial or maintenance curriculum may cover:
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Shop math, measurement, and technical documentation
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Electrical circuits, motors, and controls
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Mechanical systems, including bearings, pumps, and hydraulics
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Schematics, prints, and equipment diagrams
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Instrumentation and process control fundamentals
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Maintenance and troubleshooting principles
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Safety concepts relevant to the occupation
The subjects also need a useful sequence. If apprentices will begin supervised work with motor control circuits, instruction in electrical fundamentals and schematic reading can prepare them for that stage. Your organization can then check their understanding through RTI and their task performance through supervised work.
ITC Learning’s apprenticeship programs information provides broader context for structured workforce pathways. Its online industrial training can help organizations review technical topics for a maintenance curriculum.
How Many Hours of RTI Are Required?
Federal regulations recommend a minimum of 144 hours of related instruction for each year of apprenticeship. They do not describe 144 hours as a universal federal minimum requirement.
The sponsor should check its registered program standards and applicable Registration Agency requirements when setting RTI hours or changing the instruction plan. The planned hours should correspond to identifiable instruction, with records that show what was delivered and each apprentice’s progress.
Hours are only one measure. Program leaders also need to check whether instruction covers the intended subjects and prepares apprentices for the related work processes.
Who Can Provide RTI?
Organizations may arrange RTI through internal instructors or an external education or training partner. The Department of Labor identifies employers, community colleges, vocational schools, and online providers among the options for a program’s supplemental education.
The sponsor should review instructor qualifications, curriculum, delivery methods, and recordkeeping against its registered standards. Federal apprenticeship regulations also address RTI instructor qualifications, including vocational-technical teaching qualifications or recognized subject-matter expertise, along with training in teaching techniques and adult learning styles. The Registration Agency can clarify how those requirements apply to a particular program.
When comparing providers, ask how the proposed courses map to your occupation. Also establish who will maintain instruction records, review learning results, and coordinate with the supervisors responsible for on-the-job learning.
Can RTI Be Delivered Online?
Yes. Federal apprenticeship standards allow occupation-related instruction through electronic media, subject to the program’s requirements. The Department of Labor also provides guidance on virtual apprenticeship delivery, including coordination between sponsors and instruction providers.
Online instruction can help organizations serve apprentices across shifts or facilities. Before selecting a delivery method, review which subjects work well online and which require a lab, demonstration, or other in-person component. An online lesson can develop technical understanding; it does not replace supervised on-the-job learning or any performance evaluation required by the program.
How Can Organizations Build an RTI Plan?
Organizations can build an RTI plan by starting with the occupation’s required work processes, then mapping the technical knowledge apprentices need to perform those tasks. From there, sequence instruction alongside supervised work, assign responsibility for delivery and progress tracking, and establish how technical knowledge and task performance will be evaluated.
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Review the program standards and work process schedule. Identify the occupation’s tasks and expected progression.
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Map technical subjects to the work. Select instruction that explains the principles apprentices will apply.
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Sequence instruction with supervised experience. Place foundational subjects before related tasks where practical.
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Assign responsibilities. Identify who delivers RTI, supervises work, evaluates progress, and maintains each set of records.
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Evaluate technical knowledge and task performance separately. Use suitable measures for the classroom or online component and for work at the facility.
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Review the plan when work changes. Reassess content as equipment, procedures, and occupational needs develop. Coordinate changes to registered standards with the Registration Agency.
For example, a maintenance program could schedule instruction on bearings and lubrication before supervised bearing inspections. The instruction explains component function, lubrication principles, and common signs of wear. A supervisor then evaluates how the apprentice applies that knowledge under the facility’s procedures.
This gives the program a clear connection between what apprentices are taught, where they apply it, who evaluates their progress, and how that progress is documented.
Review Technical Instruction for Your Program
An RTI plan should reflect your occupation, support its work process schedule, and give your organization a clear way to review instructional progress. ITC Learning’s technical curriculum can provide course content for consideration within that plan; the program sponsor remains responsible for its registered standards, supervised work, and evaluations.
Download the RTI curriculum overview to review the available technical instruction. You can also schedule a demo to discuss your occupations, equipment, delivery needs, and curriculum plan.
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