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By Dr. Jennifer Wilson

I recently attended a House Education and Workforce Subcommittee hearing focused on apprenticeships. This was of particular interest to me as a former Vice President of Workforce Development at a community college and a Board member of the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB).

The hearing centered in part on President Trump’s agenda to have 1 million apprentices by 2030, including ways to meet that critical goal. It was encouraging to see bipartisan support for a proven training and employment model that can help build a stronger, more qualified and resilient workforce.

Throughout the hearing, witnesses emphasized the growing importance of nondegree pathways. Apprenticeships stand out because they combine paid, on-the-job experience with structured learning in a way that benefits both employers and workers. At the same time, the conversation did not devote a lot of focus to the ongoing challenges facing the broader workforce system, including how it can help to support these pathways to family sustaining employment.

A Fragmented System

One of the most persistent challenges is how disconnected the workforce system can feel. There is often limited clarity around how employers, education providers, and workforce organizations should work together, what role each plays, what resources are needed to support effective implementation, and too little agreement on a needed common language to describe this work and related outcomes.

These challenges were also evident in discussions about apprenticeships. While multiple approaches are designed to support talent development, many employers choose to create their own programs rather than pursue formal registration. Using this Earn-While-You-Learn model for many cases reflects a reduction of time and administrative demands associated with the registration and tracking process.

In Iowa, I have worked extensively on designing short-term, credential-based career pathways using an apprenticeship model without red tape.  I have observed the practical challenges of these registration requirements firsthand. Many small and mid-sized businesses do not have the internal systems or staff needed to manage reporting expectations. Employers are often interested in investing in their workforce, but participation must be balanced with day-to-day operational demands.  Additionally, there is not a scalable business model where there is dedicated funding for intermediary organizations who help align pathways, systems, or oversee required reporting.

Simplifying the registration process would be a good first step. The National Association of Workforce Boards, where I am proud to serve on the Board, has a toolkit to help address the complexities of registered apprenticeships.

Gaps in the Conversation

Several important areas could benefit from further attention from lawmakers:

1. The role of workforce boards: Workforce boards operate at the intersection of employers, education providers, and community organizations. This positioning allows them to play a more central role in advancing apprenticeship efforts. They can help employers (small, mid-sized, and large) navigate available options, connect training providers with industry needs, support data coordination, and strengthen collaboration across partners. Expanding support for this much needed intermediary role may require clearer guidance, improved alignment across systems, flexibility to support different apprenticeship models, and, most importantly, predictable funding streams to help scale these efforts.
2. Data and return on investment: There was limited discussion about how apprenticeship programs are evaluated relative to other workforce initiatives or how return on investment is consistently defined and measured. While apprenticeships differ from other programs in significant ways, alignment of consistent metrics for apprenticeships would be helpful, particularly within existing frameworks such as WIOA. Without common definitions and measurable benchmarks, programs can operate independently, with funding, reporting, and program goals that may not be in alignment.
3. Rethinking higher education: It was also suggested that higher education needs to be redesigned to better meet workforce needs, and I couldn’t agree more. This is an important conversation to have. Workforce Pell, which allows short-term workforce training, is one way to address the issue, and Apprenticeships for America has produced an implementation guide to support these efforts. Another approach would see more alignment from the outset between education providers, accrediting bodies, employers, workforce boards, and policymakers. Apprenticeships can be a valuable component when supported by a coordinated system, particularly when apprenticeships and postsecondary education are more tightly connected with one another.

Call to Action

• Workforce boards are inextricably involved in facilitating and supporting apprenticeships across the country, but lawmakers do not seem aware of this work. My fellow workforce board leaders can use NAWB’s customizable template letter to share both how they are contributing to accomplishing the goal of increasing the number of apprenticeships and how the processes can be improved going forward.
• Policymakers can help by working toward greater alignment between education and workforce systems so that policies reinforce, rather than complicate, apprenticeship models.
• Education providers can design programs that integrate more seamlessly with work-based learning.
• Employers remain central to this effort, and their experience is critical in shaping how systems evolve. Their local workforce boards can support them in exploring new apprenticeships.

There is broad agreement that apprenticeships offer an effective pathway to connect individuals to meaningful careers while helping employers meet workforce needs. Fully realizing that potential will depend on clearer coordination, defined roles, and practical support for employers.

Dr. Jennifer Wilson sits as a Board of Director for the National Association of Workforce Boards, has been a nationally recognized advocate of education and workforce development, and currently is CEO of her own consulting firm, Tripple C Solutions, LLC, where she assists associations, workforce boards, higher education institutions, and employers in REAL systemic change by connecting credentials to careers.