Youth Apprenticeship Programs Demystified: Challenges To Start Or Expand

There are six key challenges schools, and organizations, face when they start or expand registered youth apprenticeship programs, particularly in schools.

This is what a recent Discovery Project found when it reviewed how the programs had fared since the Department of Labor first introduced this initiative in 2016.

Those running them called for instruction on how to implement an apprenticeship program as well as being able to gain access to hands-on training. Concerningly, it identified many programs that were at risk of being cancelled because they either hadn’t registered employed apprentices, or the program wasn’t considered sustainable.

The 6 top challenges are how to:

1. Secure funding for one person to coordinate the program within a school district

2. Find the technical assistance to set up, expand and sustain the program

3. Develop and refine processes specifically for secondary-school based apprentices

4. Source overall funding for the program

5. Connect with employers for support, and

6. Understand obligations to the Department of Labor, including training on using the portal, the Registered Apprenticeships Partners Information Database System (RAPIDS), for individual apprentice and sponsor data.

Partnering to meet the challenges

An innovative approach to fast-track upskilling for those running youth apprenticeship programs happened in Missouri in February 2022. The day-and-a-half-long interactive boot camp was made available free to participants representing nine programs.

This was thanks to the Department of Labor’s apprentice intermediary partners — Safal Partners and IWSI America, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and that state’s Department of Labor.

Insights from the event to inspire those at the helm of youth apprenticeship programs include to:

• Understand apprenticeship programs are unique and fluid so that contexts will differ

• Know how to develop a successful team, and strategize the entire process from promotion and recruitment to when you roll out the plan

• Connect with peers running similar programs in your geographic area to help solve problems and collaborate. For example, does a network already exist? If not, could your organization start one?

• Tap into the expertise of an apprentice intermediary, particularly with a specialty in supporting programs for youth. Such organizations may know shortcuts to funding and streamlined processes, and

• Involve parents at meetings/information sessions or events to help build champions for the program

Since the Missouri ‘bootcamp’, seven of the nine programs have added apprentices. Just two of the nine programs have yet to finish the processing of registering their programs. More than 30 apprentices were added to the Missouri Youth apprenticeship roster within six weeks of the bootcamp.

Other tips from the vault

A key component of successful programs is to develop a formal mentoring schedule. Whether virtual or in-person, mentoring can foster in workers a sense they’re valued, validated and empowered to perform at their best. This is according to researchers Shana Yarberry from the University of Arkansas and Cynthia Sims, who’s from the College of DuPage in Illinois.

These concepts help create learning communities, communities of practise and staff resource groups. Their research shows an emerging trend for mentoring to be offered virtually, even when employees return to work on site.

Remember to harness this time-tested, earn-while-you-learn model if you’re a school or organization looking to implement your registered apprenticeship program for youth. And now you know the six key challenges you’re likely to face and how to overcome them.

About:

Through the Youth Apprenticeship Intermediary project, the Urban Institute and the IWSI America connect schools, colleges, employers, workforce development organizations, and other stakeholders to increase the quality and quantity of registered youth apprenticeships. This project was developed with the US Department of Labor. This project has been funded, either wholly or in part, with federal funds from the Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration under contract number/work order 47QRAA18D003Z/1630DC-19-F-00038. For more information about the Project visit.

Thank you to Nicholas Wyman who coauthored this blog. This piece was originally featured on Medium.