Moving Apprenticeship Forward: Five Key Questions to Confront

This web article from New America examines the Trump Administration’s apprenticeship goal to create five million apprenticeships over the next five years by looking at some of the more complex issues and potential answers. The article identifies potentially fractious issues about where apprenticeship is going in the U.S. by looking at who apprenticeships can serve – including among others, unemployed youth and low-skilled adults; how industry will need to lead with regard to shaping programs, thus ensuring that new programs meet employer needs; and how and what role education will play, in particular to make sure that apprenticeship is seen as high-quality post-secondary school education, not an alternative to it. It also looks at the role of public policy as it relates to investment in apprenticeship programs such as tax credits for employers and tuition reimbursement options. As well, the article highlights the importance of ensuring that strong and adaptive quality assurance programs are in place.