Introduction
Apprenticeship is a proven education and employment model that combines structured on-the-job learning with related technical or classroom instruction to prepare individuals for specific occupations. Apprentices are paid, have access to work-site mentors, and earn progressively higher wages as they advance in their programs. The rising cost of higher education, combined with the increasing skill demands from employers, are generating significant interest in apprenticeships to meet the needs of students and employers.
This brief examines ways in which community colleges, in partnership with employers and other stakeholders, can support apprenticeship programs. It explores tradeoffs inherent in each model and shares strategies for building high-quality apprenticeships that lead to postsecondary credentials.
Overview
When designing an apprenticeship program, employers and colleges should make sure it has all of the following characteristics:
- Student-centered: Programs must employ student success strategies to meet the learning and career needs of apprentices.
- Career-specific: Programs must be designed to equip apprentices with occupational skills that are recognized across an industry.
- Permeable: Programs must include classroom instruction and relevant, work-based learning that counts for credit and facilitates further education and training.
- Portable: Programs should be structured to culminate in degrees that support career entry and advancement.
- Accountable: Programs should use data to monitor outcomes—at the individual, employer, and program levels—to support continuous improvement.
Community colleges and employers should follow these recommendations to develop and deliver a high-quality degree apprenticeship program:
- Determine whether a degree apprenticeship is the ideal model.
- Work with employers to articulate the competencies and skills that student apprentices must master.
- Take inventory of resources to support the program.
- Identify target populations and determine how stakeholders will help participants succeed in the program.
- Establish metrics to measure outcomes at all levels: individual, employer, and program.
- Decide whether to register the program.