ERIC Number: ED605124
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Feb
Pages: 16
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Apprenticeships: An Emerging Community College Strategy for Workforce Development
Beer, Allison
Association of Community College Trustees
Adults who are out of work typically have low levels of education and limited work experience. In response, there has been an increased interest among leaders from the higher education and business communities to expand "earn and learn" opportunities that connect people to both postsecondary education and a career. Apprenticeships are a growing strategy in the U.S. to allow people to earn a postsecondary credential and gain job experience that will lead to a well-paying career. This paper provides an overview of registered apprenticeship programs, including pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships, and describes their recent growth. It also discusses several barriers to further expansion and strategies to improve programs, including to: (1) Increase funding and align funds for postsecondary education and workforce development; (2) Expand to industries not typically served by apprenticeships, especially in growing fields such as health care and information technology; (3) Increase diversity of participants, especially with intentional outreach to communities of color and women; and (4) Expand access to pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships aligned with postsecondary pathways. The paper features profiles of apprenticeship programs at Harper College and San Jacinto College. These programs illustrate how community colleges are working to expand apprenticeship opportunities for students to gain jobs in growing and in-demand industries in their regions. The profiles also detail how the colleges are working to diversify apprenticeship programs to non-traditional industries and reach out to a diverse range of students, especially women and students of color.
Descriptors: Apprenticeships, Community Colleges, Educational Change, Labor Force Development, Experiential Learning, College Students, High School Students, Outcomes of Education, School Business Relationship, Industry, College Role
Association of Community College Trustees. 1233 20th Street NW Suite 605, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-775-4667; Fax: 202-223-1297; Web site: http://www.acct.org
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Strada Education Network
Authoring Institution: Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)
Identifiers - Location: Illinois; Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A