The United States is currently experiencing a decline of skilled talent in the workforce, with healthcare occupations suffering the most due to a loss in workforce talent and the onset of an aging population. This talent shortage is attributed to a "skills gap." The current case study used qualitative methodology to examine the expansion of registered apprenticeships as a strategy for closing the skills gap in health occupations, and to evaluate the community college's role in developing collaborations with local business and industries to strengthen regional economies. Arapahoe Community College and Centura Health joined together to develop a registered medical assisting apprenticeship program, the first in the state of Colorado, through collaboration and the development of a parallel curriculum delivery system. The data collection synthesized documents, and used semi-structured interviews with health system administrators, community college workforce development administrators, program chairs, faculty, and apprentices to better understand the development, implementation, and impacts of a nontraditional registered apprenticeship. The data collected from these interviews were then coded and analyzed for themes. The case study findings revealed that the foundational components of an apprenticeship are the same regardless of the occupational area, and community colleges can decrease occupational skills gaps through the implementation of industry-focused workforce development programs. [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.]