Transforming Futures Through Opportunity
At Apprenticeships for America, we're on a mission to revolutionize how America prepares its workforce for a brighter future. Apprenticeships are not just a model; they're a proven, cost-effective pathway to success, and it's time the United States fully embraced their potential.
Empowering America’s Workers for Success
See AFA's statement on the President's March 6 Executive Order on Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are a recognized global phenomenon, providing workers with the technical skills and training they need to thrive and providing businesses with the skilled workforce they need to compete.
However, despite gains in the last decade, the promise of apprenticeship remains under-leveraged in the United States.
It's time to change that narrative.
The Apprenticeship Model: Transforming Lives Worldwide
AFA is committed to expanding apprenticeship funding, vastly increasing the number and scale of registered apprenticeship programs, and raising public awareness of these life-changing opportunities.
Our focus extends to sectors with significant skill mismatches, such as technology, healthcare, financial services, public safety, education, and manufacturing.
Expanding Apprenticeships
Now is the perfect moment to scale apprenticeships and build a robust U.S. registered apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships for America (AFA) brings together experts with extensive experience from leading practitioner, research, business, and advocacy organizations to make this vision a reality. It's time to seize this renewed interest in apprenticeship.
America needs a bold goal to reframe economic opportunity and workforce competitiveness.
In the next ten years, AFA seeks to grow the number of Americans entering apprenticeships each year from 250,000 to 2 million. This will widen routes to rewarding careers for workers and enhance American productivity.
And it will also bring the US in line with industrial countries in allowing workers to earn, learn, and produce as they gain full competence in an occupation.
Our multi-pronged strategy includes:
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Drawing lessons from the U.S. and abroad, we will propose structural reforms, apprenticeship standards, incentives, outreach, marketing, and funding mechanisms. Our research will model the phased implementation of required public investments, demonstrating projected gains in earnings, reduced inequality, and skill development.
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We'll work tirelessly to show federal officials, governors, Congressional leaders, and state legislators how scaling registered apprenticeship can enhance equality of opportunity, workforce diversity, worker pride, productivity, and success pathways that outperform the current postsecondary education system. This effort will enlist advocates, practitioners, and researchers to advocate for significant funding and system building.
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At Apprenticeships for America, we're at the forefront of unleashing the full potential of registered apprenticeships. Join us in widening access to rewarding careers and benefiting millions of American workers. It's time to transform futures and create lasting opportunities.
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We're creating an American Apprenticeship Network to combine the power and expertise of apprenticeship intermediaries, schools, business leaders, labor representatives, and researchers. The Network will promote the benefits of apprenticeship at the federal and local levels, strengthening the constituency for registered apprenticeships. It will also serve as a platform for growing the field of apprenticeship by developing, supporting, and disseminating best practices.
Help Shape The Future of Work