THE PURPOSES OF THESE NATIONAL STANDARDS ARE TO SERVE AS A PROMOTIONAL INSTRUMENT TO ENCOURAGE THE PROPER TRAINING OF APPRENTICES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY AND TO GUIDE LOCAL JOINT APPRENTICESHIP. THE STANDARDS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE 1,400 HOURS OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PER YEAR FOR A 3-YEAR PERIOD WITH 144 HOURS OF RELATED INSTRUCTION PER YEAR FOR PERSONS AT LEAST 18 AND NOT OVER 30 YEARS OF AGE WHO ARE UNDER WRITTEN APPRENTICESHIP AGREEMENTS. THE FIRST 350 HOURS OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ARE CONSIDERED A PROBATIONARY PERIOD, AND THE WAGE RATE FOR THE APPRENTICES IS BASED ON 6-MONTH PERIODS STARTING WITH A MINIMUM OF NOT LESS THAN 50 PERCENT OF JOURNEYMAN'S WAGE. A LOCAL JOINT APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEEE, EQUALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF MANAGEMENT AND LABOR, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LOCAL APPRENTICESHIP STANDARDS WHICH ARE TO BE ADAPTED FROM THE NATIONAL STANDARDS. THE LOCAL STANDARDS PROVIDE FOR SUCH ITEMS AS THE METHODS OF APPRENTICE SELECTION, REGISTRATION OF APPRENTICES, RATIO OF APPRENTICES TO JOURNEYMEN, HOURS OF WORK, CREDIT FOR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, PERIODIC EXAMINATION, AND RELATED INSTRUCTION. A PATTERN OF THE USUAL STRUCTURE OF A LOCAL PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BUT MAY BE CHANGED TO CONFORM TO LOCAL CONDITIONS. AN OUTLINE OF FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING APPRENTICES, ON-THE-JOB PROCESSES, SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR THE RELATED INSTRUCTION CURRICULUM, AND SAMPLE FORMS ARE INCLUDED FOR USE BY THE LOCAL COMMITTEE. (HC)