This paper provides an overview of registered apprenticeship programs, including pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships, and describes their recent growth.
It also discusses several barriers to further expansion and strategies to improve programs, including to:
- Increase funding and align funds for postsecondary education and workforce development;
- Expand to industries not typically served by apprenticeships, especially in growing fields such as health care and information technology;
- Increase diversity of participants, especially with intentional outreach to communities of color and women; and
- Expand access to pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships aligned with postsecondary pathways.
The paper features profiles of apprenticeship programs at Harper College and San Jacinto College. These programs illustrate how community colleges are working to expand apprenticeship opportunities for students to gain jobs in growing and in-demand industries in their regions. The profiles also detail how the colleges are working to diversify apprenticeship programs to non-traditional industries and reach out to a diverse range of students, especially women and students of color.
Also listen to our related podcast featuring ACCT Senior Policy Analyst Allison Beer, Harper College President Ken Ender, and San Jacinto College Chancellor Brenda Hellyer discussing different apprenticeship program models profiled in the apprenticeships paper.