Apprenticeship is an enduring form of knowledge transfer that combines work-based learning with classroom instruction. The educational model allows participants to earn while they learn through on-the-job and formalized training that often leads to a college credential (Prebil, 2019). Mounting college debt, combined with more American businesses facing recruitment challenges fueled an expanding skills gap, have contributed to the resurgent public interest in apprenticeship. Scaling the national apprenticeship system has been a bipartisan goal of American policymakers for several years. In a time of political polarization, apprenticeship has maintained widespread appeal (McCarthy, Palmer, & Prebil, 2017). Despite the broad interest in apprenticeship, the system has failed to match the participation levels seen in other industrialized countries (Amoyaw & Brown, 2018). The purpose of this descriptive survey research is to examine the disconnect between the higher education and employer community and assess the barriers and opportunities for apprenticeship alignment. Mid-Atlantic regional employers and higher education officials formed two participant groups. The study used a cross-sectional data analysis of the employer and educator groups' responses to parallel questionnaire items. The research findings show a current lack of knowledge and communication regarding modern apprenticeship modifications and the need for an expanded higher education connected apprenticeship system. Based on the results, recommendations for future practices and additional research are presented. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]