April 30 was recognized across the country as National Apprenticeship Day. As an alternative pathway to postsecondary degrees or professional certifications, which can be cost-prohibitive for many, it is time to fully expand apprenticeships in our country. 

According to survey results released in January by the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam School of Business, 66.2% of business leaders in the state answered “no” to the question, “Is there an ample supply of local workers who are appropriately trained for your employment needs?” 

Of the 167 million people in the U.S. workforce, 62% do not have a postsecondary degree –meaning 103 million people are not being fully recognized for the talent and skill they’ve already developed through work. As many as two-thirds of jobs in the future are expected to require postsecondary credentials, either an industry-recognized certification or academic degree. 

Many college degree programs do not include a work-based learning component in the curriculum, which could create a gap for students who lack prior direct-related work experience. According on an article in Forbes, the U.K. and Germany have developed “apprenticeship degree” programs as one solution. 

According to the same Forbes article, in 2022, Tennessee became the first state to receive Department of Labor approval for a partnership program between Austin Peay State University and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Tennessee led the way for the 45 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that now have Department of Labor approval to offer teacher apprenticeship programs. 

Craft Education, a Nashville-based technology platform that integrates work-based learning experiences to expand degree apprenticeship programs, states that the five keys to apprenticeship degrees are efficiency, flexibility, relevance, affordability and professional capital. 

The challenge for many apprenticeship programs is how to document the hours worked and skills learned by the apprentice. Western Governors University recently acquired Craft Education in its endeavor to develop, launch and scale work-based learning pathways. 

“At Craft, we believe apprenticeships are not just an alternative pathway, but a necessary evolution in how we prepare the workforce,” said Mallory Dwinal-Palisch, CEO and founder of Craft. “By combining rigorous academics with real-world, paid experience, we empower learners to build both the professional and technical skills they need to thrive. Expanding degree apprenticeships means creating more equitable, affordable and relevant opportunities for all — and it's a change whose time has come.”

Apprenticeship programs present a win-win scenario for employers and employees. Employers can help fill their workforce needs by training, retaining and promoting their own trusted employees. Employees get paid, fill the “experience gap” missing from most degree programs, learn from experienced mentors and supervisors, and take on little to no student debt. This model is the best pathway for adult learners who usually have to work at a job of some kind while they pursue higher education. 

Employers, educators and career seekers can learn more about the value of apprenticeships at www.apprenticeship.gov.