This apprenticeship model can energize the workforce pipeline

As college credentials are increasingly judged on workforce value, institutions may be interested in an apprenticeship model quietly regaining traction across the country.

Degree apprenticeships pay college-enrolled learners to gain workforce experience. Such programs could expand campus initiatives to meet regional employment needs, according to a new report from New America, a left-leaning higher education think tank.

New America’s “first-of-its-kind” overview aimed to spotlight the nation’s currently “scattered” degree apprenticeships and identify the key elements of those producing successful student outcomes.

The current landscape of degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships, still rare but growing in the U.S., are “industry-vetted” programs that compensate learners through on-the job training, supplemented by classroom education.

Apprentices can earn an industry-recognized certificate alongside an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree.

Several roadblocks currently inhibit the expansion of degree apprenticeships. Stringent accreditation standards and state regulations for some occupational programs—in healthcare, for instance—don’t permit payment for trainees.

Secondly, guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeships is often inconsistent, prohibiting institutions from starting a new program without clear explanation.

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Institutions that establish a degree apprenticeship cannot expand their programs without generous public funding.  

As a result, current offerings are often heavily concentrated in certain states and disciplines.

• Illinois, Alabama, and North Carolina accounted for more than one-quarter of all degree apprenticeship opportunities.
• Education and library sciences made up more than a third of degree apprenticeships.
• Nursing apprenticeships are uncommon outside of Alabama.
• Most apprenticeships are only available for associates degrees.

The 5 traits of a successful program

The City Colleges of Chicago, Reach University (Calif.), Colorado Mountain College and other institutions helped New America create a framework for degree apprenticeships:

1. Accessible: Focus on equity, access and inclusion by ensuring wraparound support, academic guidance and assistance with employer negotiations over pay.
2. Responsive: Programs should be data-driven and aligned with labor needs.
3. Affordable and sustainable: Institutions must ensure apprenticeships are affordable and offer competitive salaries and benefits.
4. Flexible: Learners must achieve academic credit alongside on-the-job training.
5. Collaborative: Employers and institutions must contribute equally to the apprenticeships to cement partnerships.