Apprenticeship: Changing The Pathway To Employment Within The U.S. | By Paris Scott

Apprenticeship-” traditionally known as an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential” (www.apprenticeship.gov).

The concept of an apprenticeship in the US is fairly new to the corporate world. Traditionally we have been taught that to have a successful career in this space you need to go to a four-year university and depending on what industry you work in, maybe even an Ivy League school. Only then would you be able to meet and network with the right people who would be able to assist you in getting a nice entry-level position. This was true until recently. With the help of Multiverse and many other popular employers in the tech and financial industry, apprenticeships have finally made their way to the US.

Programs like these will finally give people from disadvantaged backgrounds a chance to compete in the job market. For many like myself, who grew up in a low-income household, going to secondary school was not an option. Colleges provide a great deal of growth that happens outside of just obtaining a degree. The experiences you get from meeting different people, exploring different cultures, presenting to others in classrooms and so many other things have a huge impact on job candidates. These are all things that people who cannot go to college miss. This then causes a snowball effect of not being able to properly put together a resume, being bad at interviewing, and even not being able to perform well on the job if they can get through all of the other hurdles. 

How can current cohorts help?

When explaining an apprenticeship, it is important to be able to properly communicate how it is different from an internship. An apprenticeship is usually a paid opportunity that lasts at least a year. During the length of the apprenticeship, the apprentice can get real-time on-the-job training and dedicate some of their work time to learning. This experience can put a candidate on the same level as a recent graduate with no job experience. As more cohorts are started at various companies, current and past alumni should do their part by making sure they speak on the experiences of the apprenticeship and how impactful it has been on career journeys. I also believe that since the concept is so new here, it will be a while before the programs are perfected. This means open and honest feedback is essential. When asked how an apprenticeship can help an employee, remember these key points:

• Career development
• On-the-job training
• Targeted support
• Earn credentials
• Earn while you learn
• Competitive advantage
• Increase your network

When asked how an apprenticeship can help an employer, mention these key points:

• Recruit workforce members for a fractional cost as a traditional full-time employee (entry to mid-level)
• Develop and train workforce members to their specific needs to help scale their business ( address skill gaps within the company)
• Receive tax credits and employee benefits depending on home state
• Increase retention of workers during and after the program ends
• Diversify teams

So What’s Next?

The next 5 years will be especially important to show the general public how beneficial apprenticeships are. It is crucial that the people who go through these programs see success after completing the program and that employers are willing to hire them. Regardless of what company an apprentice may work for, both employees and employers should keep in mind the main goal of creating future workers for their specific industry. This can be accomplished by maintaining nationwide guidelines that are transparent and easy to find for anyone interested to find. If you or anyone else you know may benefit from a program similar to this, don’t be afraid to tell others what you know and advocate for the availability of more apprenticeships within the US.

Paris Scott is a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Google and writes for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. She is based in Atlanta, GA, United States.

Hello! My name is Paris and I am a digital marketing apprentice at Google in Atlanta, GA. In my current role, I work with an ads sales team that assists 10+ clients. I look forward to writing for the Apprentice Lens and being able to share my experiences so far. I truly appreciate the chance to express myself creatively since my current position doesn't leave much room for that. What inspires me most is music and my family. Thanks for reading!