JFF's Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning Blog
Latest Blog Post
How to Engage Rural Employers in the Promise of Apprenticeship
Approaches that have succeeded in the field offer solutions to employer engagement challenges for rural communities.
2022
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Apprenticeship Shaped My Post-Prison Life — Employers Will Benefit from Others Like Me
Partnerships between employers and prison industries are a win for companies, the economy, and aspiring workers after incarceration.
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Five Reasons Companies Should Use SHRM’s HR Specialist Apprenticeship Program to Hire Their Future HR Workforce
Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the SHRM HR RAP provides employers with a proven talent development solution for onboarding or upskilling human resource specialists. It also provides apprentices with a cost-effective and efficient point of entry into a well-developed career pathway in HR.
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How Registered Apprenticeship Led Me From Black History to Black Opportunity
A true commitment to DEIA from employers and partners, with JFF’s help, can make apprenticeship live up to its promise.
2021
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This National Apprenticeship Week, Let’s Support Employers in Developing Equitable Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship can put workers on pathways to jobs in well-paid careers, but many workers don’t have opportunities to benefit from all that apprenticeship offers. JFF calls on employers to take our pledge to promote inclusion and diversity in apprenticeship.
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Modern Apprenticeships Need Modern Preparation: Five Reasons States Should Recognize Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
As Registered Apprenticeship grows, pre-apprenticeships provide a new entry point into the workforce for a new generation of learners and workers.
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How Can We Make Youth Apprenticeship A Winning Proposition? Look To Youth Sports
Amateur sports has a built-in learn-to-work model, industry support, and the cultural relevance that leads to success.
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Together We Can Increase Black Participation in Apprenticeship
As we honor Black History Month, an honest look at our racist past reveals a more equitable path for the future of apprenticeship and workforce development in our country.
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Apprenticeship Transformation Passes the House: What to Know
The National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 will provide an influx of funding to modernize apprenticeship and create opportunities for millions of Americans.
2020
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Apprenticeship Offers a Path to Recovery Through Tumultuous Times: A Q&A With Eric Seleznow
Apprenticeship is a vital component of an equitable economic recovery. This National Apprenticeship Week, we must focus on supporting employers and other stakeholders as they deliver on this potential.
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7 Reasons Companies Should Use the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program to Hire Their Future Workforce
Purdue University’s Cyber Apprenticeship Program (P-CAP) provides the skills and credentials workers need to become a cybersecurity expert for your workplace.
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IMT Apprenticeship Provides Positive Return on Investment for Employers
JFF’s new study shows that employers who implemented the Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) Registered Apprenticeship program had an impressive 48 percent return on investment.
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Apprenticeship Accelerators in a Virtual World: Lessons From Idaho
In-person accelerators have always been a successful method for providing employers with a crash course on how to develop a high quality Registered Apprenticeship. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the event shifted to virtual and turned out to be just as—if not more—successful. Here are some key takeaways.
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Bilingual Training Can Lead to Equitable Economic Recovery
With the nation facing an urgent need to redesign workforce and education systems, an innovative program called GOAL can serve as a model that inspires bold leaders to take a new approach to job training.
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Apprenticeship Is Vital to Manufacturing's Post-Pandemic Recovery
As we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, apprenticeship can play an important role in efforts to foster an equitable economic recovery as a key component of new talent development programs and efforts to retrain or upskill current workers.
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We Must Sustain Apprenticeship in a Post-Pandemic Downturn
One of our nation’s most successful job training strategies is at risk of losing momentum. Supporters must take action to maintain apprenticeship gains if the pandemic leads to recession.
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Reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act: The Time Has Come
Bipartisanship support of modernizing Registered Apprenticeship is welcome, and needed to ensure program's potential.
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Congress Needs to Get to Work on Work Study
The federal work-study program is a valuable resource for many low-income students, but it’s not always providing the meaningful work experiences students need. JFF calls on policymakers to update the program to make it relevant for today’s students.
2019
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Apprenticeship Programs Reach an Inflection Point
In this op-ed, Eric Seleznow provides an overview of why apprenticeship in America is at an inflection point and explains the role of businesses in continuing the momentum.
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Manufacturing Opportunities for All with Lippert’s Apprenticeship Program
Manufacturer Lippert Components offers a bilingual apprenticeship program to help the 33% of their team members who are Latinx reach their fullest potential.
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Treehouse Uses Apprenticeship to Grow Diversity in Tech
Seeing a need across the industry, Treehouse has developed a business model from placing underrepresented workers into tech apprenticeships.
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Reflecting Community Composition with Mercy Health + Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Apprenticeship Program
Talent and workforce leaders at Mercy Health + Saint Joseph Mercy Health System share steps they took to diversify their apprenticeship cohorts to be more reflective of the communities they serve.
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Diversity in Apprenticeship is a Building Block of Coleman Spohn Corp.
Coleman Spohn Corp. President Lonnie Coleman explains why a diverse apprenticeship program is a key component for his business.
It’s Been Nearly 3 Decades Since Passage of the ADA—We Need More Career Opportunities for People with Disabilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in effect for nearly three decades, but youth and adults with disabilities still lack sufficient career opportunities. A new initiative aims to change that.
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We Need to Raise the Bar on Pre-Apprenticeships
Pre-apprenticeships can help workers from underrepresented populations become “apprenticeship ready.” But these programs lack consistent standards and expectations. JFF’s framework can help new or established programs become effective and equitable, opening new paths to apprenticeship and, ultimately, careers.
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IRAP Announcement Opens Comment Period to USDOL
A USDOL announcement has opened a 60-day public comment period in which individuals and organizations from across the country can weigh in on the proposed rule change.
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Retail Careers: An Overlooked Pathway to Future Jobs
Retail careers can play an integral role in helping people develop competitive future-proof skills. The retail industry is primed to offer opportunities for workers to continually hone the skills least susceptible to automation—human skills.
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Company Perspectives on Building Equity in Apprenticeships
22 companies and industry associations explored what’s working on incorporating equity into their workforce and where further assistance and movement is needed.
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Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Expands Registered Apprenticeship Programs in High-Growth Job Sectors
This bill establishes a new initiative to grow and expand highly successful intermediaries.
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How Health Care Employers Can Build Their Workforces With Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship can help health care employers recruit, train, and retain top-level talent.
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Employer Leadership Spurs Apprenticeship Action: A Lesson from Chicago
Companies show that when apprenticeship is used as part of a business strategy, everybody wins.
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Tech-Focused Apprenticeships Need Employer Engagement to Thrive
Tech companies can’t wait around for their workforce to meet their needs. If these employers get engaged in apprenticeship, they can actively build their talent pools.
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4 Ways that Congress Should Update the Higher Education Act
The Higher Education Act hasn’t been updated for nearly 11 years. It’s time to make the law work for today’s students, and JFF’s policy team has the solutions.
2018
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California’s Proposal for Apprenticeship Growth Requires New Approach
Creating a comprehensive modern apprenticeship system in California will require a change in the way the state designs, launches, and implements programs.
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Adaptability in Youth Apprenticeship: Meeting the Needs of Students and Employers
Adaptable apprenticeships collaboratively design the program's learning component so that it is recognized and valued across an industry or sector.
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JFF Calls for Delaying Proposed IRAP Accreditation Process
The DOL's IRAP accreditation process should be put on hold pending more specific guidelines.
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To Transform the American Workforce System, Apprenticeship Needs Stronger Supports
Increasing the development and uptake of equitable, high-quality apprenticeship models will require accessibility, structured pre-apprenticeships, and strong intermediaries.
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5 Reasons You Should Think about Apprenticeship for Your Child
Apprenticeship can offer an alternative to college and open doors to many career opportunities.
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Why JFF is Joining the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship
JFF joins new Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) as national partner.
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What to Know about Competency-Based Apprenticeship Programs
Highlights from JFF's recent webinar, Understanding Competency-Based Apprenticeship Models.
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What’s Next for Apprenticeship?
Will growth come at the expense of quality? US apprenticeship task force releases final recommendations on expansion to new industry sectors. JFF urges high standards, equal access.
2017
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A New Generation Finds Opportunity in Hospitality
JFF is working with the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation on the national Hospitality Sector Apprenticeship to expand apprenticeship opportunities in new communities.
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For Registered Apprenticeship to be the gold standard workforce program, it's time to address equity
Most apprentices are employed at the conclusion of their programs, going on to earn an average starting salary of $60,000 a year. But for far too many women and people of color, this is too good to be true.
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Insights from Socializing the World of Work Initiative
The technological advances of the past 40 years have fueled the Fourth Industrial Revolution which has greatly impacted the modern workplace. The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production; the Fourth Industrial Revolut
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The Secret Glue in the Swiss Apprenticeship System
The Center for Young Professionals, a Swiss nonprofit center for basic banking education, is the focus of this final blog on the extremely successful Swiss apprenticeship system.
2016 and Earlier
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High School Is Where Manufacturing Careers Start in Delaware
With Delaware Technical Community College's Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program, high school seniors train for in-demand manufacturing careers by participating in paid summer internships with local companies.
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Employers Lead the Way: Building the Future Workforce
Education, workforce, business, and philanthropic leaders gather at the Career Pathways Lab co-hosted by Jobs for the Future, Linked Learning Alliance, and The Wonderful Company in Beverly Hills, California.* This month, Jobs for the Future (JFF) organize
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It’s Whom You Know: Work-Based Learning Helps Build Labor Market Connections
What can educators do to better prepare young people for careers? With work-based learning, students can gain a better understanding of how their education ties to real-world applications.
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How Linking Learning and Work Build Skills for Life and Career
In the past decade, career and technical education has moved from the sidelines of education policy to the center of school reform—and been rebranded (if not entirely reinvented) along the way.
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Surprise! Work Helps You Learn to Work...
(And Why Experts Are Serious When They Say That) By Mary V.L. Wright, Senior Director, Jobs for the Future, and Kristin Wolff, Thinkers+Doers, Associate (Adjunct), Social Policy Research Associates When reviewing the news and reports related to preparing
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Upping the Ante: We Need You to Join the UpSkilling Movement
There's been an increase in employers using their resources and creativity to upskill their workers, but there is much work to be done. Will you help us up the ante?
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Together in Learning: Voices from the Industry and Workforce Learning
This week, over 2,000 learning professionals gathered at Learning 2015 in Orlando to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Elliott Masie’s annual conference focused on workplace learning. The group represented leading companies committed to innovative emergin
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Expanding the Path to Apprenticeships to Women and Minority Workers
The value of apprenticeships is even more pronounced when they provide pathways for individuals who face barriers to entering the middle class. How can we make sure that apprenticeships are a real option for workers from every community, including women and minorities?
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Reinventing the Apprenticeship
No workforce development strategy has the same track record as apprenticeship, which has proven to be one of the most effective ways to connect education to work since the middle ages. In recent years, this age-old model of training has
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High School Students Gain Hands-on Experience in Manufacturing
Summer can be one of the most transformational times of the year for high school students. This became evident after I traveled to Morristown, Tennessee, to see a group of high school students present their summer internship experiences at the
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Finding Time for Work-Based Learning: School Leaders Have More Flexibility Than They Think
Since launching the Pathways to Prosperity Network in 2012, Jobs for the Future and our partners have been working to design effective models for high school students to participate in high-value work experiences. This is the first in an occasional
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Job Shadow Day for C-Town Tech
“Helping the World Run Better” is no small feat, but that is what the largest worldwide independent software manufacturer, SAP, endeavors to do with its products and services.
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Let's Get Real: Deeper Learning at Work
When it comes to college and career readiness, most reform initiatives focus on the former and not the latter. But in order for today's youth to succeed, career readiness needs some serious attention.
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Imagine Running a Phone Store While You're Still in High School
This blog was originally posted on GenDIY Blog on Huffington Post Education . This blog was also available on Tom Vander Ark's Getting Smart Blog . If you're between 16 and 24, you've probably looked for a job, and maybe
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The Power of Work-based Learning
Lisa Cortes had scraped thousands of breakfast, lunch, and dinner trays in an Ohio hospital kitchen when a supervisor recommended her for a new training program that could lead to full-time medical work with benefits. Cortes, a 42-year-old high school