The publication’s highlights include:
- Replicable Models and Case Studies: Featuring success stories from organizations that have implemented impactful apprenticeship programs, the report presents practical blueprints for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
- Program Guidance: Step-by-step instructions on starting high-quality apprenticeship programs, with a focus on creating opportunities for employees to develop new skills, gain career expertise, and advance professionally.
- Recruitment, Retention, and Rewards: Best practices for attracting and retaining talent, including strategies for opening up an organization’s talent pool and the importance of offering mentorship and other career development opportunities.
- Soft Skills Development: The report underscores the role apprenticeships play in fostering essential workplace soft skills, preparing workers for leadership roles, and improving overall productivity.
- Workforce Development for Younger Generations: With an emphasis on high school students, the report explores how apprenticeships provide a strong foundation for young workers who are newly entering the job market.
- Dispelling Apprenticeship Myths – The New Era of Apprenticeships disproves the antiquated perceptions that apprenticeships are limited to entry level, lower paying jobs in manual-labor focused industries. Rather, there are opportunities for leadership roles in industries ranging from IT to engineering to healthcare and everything in between.
“While college education has traditionally been viewed as the primary route to career success, we’re challenging this notion by highlighting the expanding role of apprenticeships,” added Wyman. “Apprenticeships combine paid, on-the-job training with classroom instruction, allowing workers to develop valuable skills while earning a steady income. As of 2025, nearly 680,000 apprentices are currently working in a variety of fields, from advanced manufacturing to healthcare, IT, accounting, and more.”
Resurgence of Apprenticeships:
Apprenticeships, often seen as a thing of the past, have experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years. Since 2012, the number of apprenticeships has increased by 63%, and between 2016 and 2023, more than 15,900 new apprenticeship programs were registered across the U.S., onboarding over 1.3 million apprentices. This growth is largely due to federal grants totaling over $500 million since 2016, which have helped states position apprenticeships as a go-to talent solution for employers and workers alike. Not only do apprenticeship programs help businesses recruit and retain skilled workers, but they also play a critical role in addressing the evolving needs of the workforce. With the rise of automation, AI, and remote work opportunities, continuous training, upskilling, and reskilling are essential for ensuring employees stay competitive and adaptable in an ever-changing environment.
IWSI America’s Commitment to Workforce Development:
For more than two decades IWSI America has worked with individual employers as well as states and localities to establish and help build modern, sustainable apprenticeship programs, leading to employment opportunities for more than 4,000 individuals. IWSI also serves as advisor on the design and implementation of such new programs to assist non-profit and for-profit entities in growing pipelines of talent to meet the needs of a dynamic workforce in a rapidly changing work environment.
“We’re proud to be part of the growing movement that’s redefining how people think about work,” said Wyman. “Apprenticeships are a vital tool for the future of work, offering opportunities to gain the skills necessary to succeed in today’s dynamic economy.”
For more information on “The New Era of Apprenticeships: Building Careers, Strengthening Industries” or to access the full report, visit https://www.iwsiamerica.org/the-new-era-of-apprenticeships.
About IWSI America
The Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation (IWSI) America is a work development organization that empowers enterprising businesses, nonprofits and government agencies by unlocking the full potential of our most prized assets: people.
For more than two decades IWSI America has worked with individual employers as well as states and localities to establish and help build modern, sustainable apprenticeship programs. IWSI also serves as advisor on the design and implementation of such new programs to assist non-profit and for-profit entities in growing pipelines of talent to meet the needs of a dynamic workforce in a rapidly changing work environment. Learn more at https://www.iwsiamerica.org/
Media Contact
Alex Rush, IWSI America, 1 7186643517, [email protected], https://www.iwsiamerica.org/
SOURCE IWSI America
