Apprenticeships and community colleges: do they have a future together?

Most of today's college students view having success in the workplace, earning a decent salary, and having a fulfilling career as key reasons for pursuing higher education. This sentiment is echoed by governors, state legislators, and higher education leaders who are looking at the labor market success of graduates to evaluate how well postsecondary institutions are preparing students to join the workforce and contribute to the economy. However, there is a growing belief that colleges are not adequately preparing students for the jobs and careers needed in the 21st century and that a...  [+] Show more

Most of today's college students view having success in the workplace, earning a decent salary, and having a fulfilling career as key reasons for pursuing higher education. This sentiment is echoed by governors, state legislators, and higher education leaders who are looking at the labor market success of graduates to evaluate how well postsecondary institutions are preparing students to join the workforce and contribute to the economy. However, there is a growing belief that colleges are not adequately preparing students for the jobs and careers needed in the 21st century and that a substantial gap exists between the training and education America's college graduates receive and the skills today's labor market demands.

Of the many options being actively discussed to bridge the divide, apprenticeship programs are attracting widespread bipartisan support. Public two-year community colleges are already central to the nation's career and technical education system, granting hundreds of thousands of occupationally oriented certificates and technically focused associate degrees. Many community college leaders have welcomed the administration's call for apprenticeship programs, and some have already shown themselves adept at working with the Department of Labor's registered apprenticeship programs. But the overwhelming majority of community colleges have a ways to go before they can meaningfully contribute to the number of apprenticeships that so many politicians and analysts argue the nation needs.

In this report we explore how community colleges could play a more active role in growing the number of apprenticeships nationwide, a role that would contribute to resolving the current mismatch between what postsecondary institutions produce and what employers need. We begin with a brief summary of the past and current state of apprenticeships and the role apprenticeships play in other countries. We then turn to the challenges faced by community colleges interested in sponsoring apprenticeship programs and what reforms might help community colleges overcome the internal and external obstacles in their way to expansion. We conclude with the role private apprenticeship service providers may play as competitors to community colleges interested in apprenticeship programs.

Excerpts from publication.