Improving access to apprenticeship: strengthening state policies and practices

The Working Poor Families Project (WPFP) supports efforts of state nonprofit organizations to strengthen state policies that can assist families striving to work their way into the middle class and achieve economic security. WPFP encourages its partners to engage state policy makers to ensure that postsecondary education and skills development programs sufficiently serve and capably prepare low-skilled adults for family sustaining careers, in short to educate and train them for growing occupations that can support their families economically. To do so, states need to align systems and resources toward market-driven, skill-building strategies such as apprenticeship. A few states, including several with WPFP partners, are in the forefront of advancing public policies that support a broad-based expansion of apprenticeships. This brief describes state efforts for engaging employers through outreach, apprentice recruitment, and training subsidies while strengthening linkages to postsecondary and workforce development systems and improving rates of entry and successful completion of lowskilled adults. The brief makes specific policy recommendations and suggests strategies for ensuring their passage. Show less