Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential. Apprenticeship programs are a proven solution for employers, giving them the tools they need to recruit, train, and retain skilled workers. Apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with a steady paycheck, making it an ideal solution for many Americans, including those with disabilities.
Registered Apprenticeships are available in a wide range of occupations, including traditional fields, like construction, and high-growth, and nontraditional fields, like health care and information technology.
ODEP promotes inclusive apprenticeship program models that meet employer needs by attracting a diverse array of candidates, including people with disabilities. ODEP works to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in apprenticeship programs by influencing national and state policies and providing effective practices.
DOL and Apprenticeship
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to growing and expanding apprenticeship and has recently awarded $183 million as part of the Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grants to expand apprenticeships and make them available to more workers and employers.
DOL has also awarded a two-year, $1.9 million contract to Social Policy Research Associates Inc. for the Inclusive Apprenticeship Initiative for Youth and Adults with Disabilities. The Apprenticeship Inclusion Models (AIM) demonstration project will develop pilot projects that research, test, and evaluate innovative strategies in existing apprenticeship programs to expand access, education, and occupational skills training in information technology (IT), health care, and other in-demand sectors. Sign up for AIM Community of Practice and Newsletter.
Apprenticeship Disability-Inclusion Guides
ODEP's #ApprenticeshipWorks Guides introduce youth, educators, service providers, and businesses to the benefits and opportunities of inclusive apprenticeship.
The #ApprenticeshipWorks Video Series demonstrates how apprenticeship works for job seekers and employers. These videos feature apprentices with and without disabilities and their apprenticeship sponsors participating in inclusive apprenticeship programs in high-growth industries like information technology and healthcare. Videos are available in English and Spanish with full captioning and audio introduced versions.
Apprenticeship Toolkit
- Introduction to the Apprenticeship Toolkit: Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship
- Module 1: Understanding Apprenticeship Basics
- Module 2: Preparing Youth and Young Adults for Apprenticeship Programs
- Module 3: Increasing the Participation of Young Adults with Disabilities in Apprenticeship Programs
- Module 4: Establishing New Apprenticeship Programs
- Module 5: What Apprenticeship Employers Need To Know About Working with Young Adults with Disabilities
- Module 6: Looking To Future Opportunities In Apprenticeship
Related Resources
Youth and Future Apprentices
- Information and Benefits for Apprentices – Information for individuals interested in pursuing apprenticeships.
- Apprenticeship Finder — Find apprenticeship opportunities near you. Get started by searching by keyword and your location.
Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
- Job Corps — DOL-funded free education and training program that helps eligible young people ages 16 through 24 complete their high school education, trains them for meaningful careers, and assists them with obtaining employment.
- YouthBuild — DOL-funded YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school.
Employers
- Apprenticeship.gov — A web-based no-cost tool that allows employers to promote apprenticeships in their industries, and offers career seekers a platform to search for apprenticeships by city, state, and occupation.
Educators and Service Providers
- High School Apprenticeship – Information on youth apprenticeship programs for high school students.
- Apprenticeship Partner Finder – DOL's Partner Finder can connect you with the right partners to help you design, develop, or enhance your apprenticeship program.
- State Apprenticeship Information — Provides information about state apprenticeship programs and contact information for state departments of labor.
- National Apprenticeship Week — National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), now in its sixth year, is a nationwide celebration that gives businesses, communities, and educators the opportunity to showcase their apprenticeship programs and apprentices while providing valuable information to career seekers. NAW 2020 will be held November 8-14, 2020.
- 2019 National Apprenticeship Week News Release — The sixth annual National Apprenticeship Week will be held from November 8-14, 2020. National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration that brings together business leaders, labor, educational institutions, and Americans interested in apprenticeships to showcase the impact apprenticeship programs have on closing the U.S. skills gap and preparing the American workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
DOL Blogs on Apprenticeships
Related Documents
Advisories & Rules
- Training and Employment Notice No. 04-15 provides information and resources on promising strategies to promote the inclusion of youth and adults with disabilities in registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships.
- Training and Employment Notice No. 10-09 describes an issue paper and toolkit on improving transition outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities through apprenticeship.
- Final Rule on Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship was issued by DOL in 2016 and is an updated Final Rule on equal employment opportunity in apprenticeship, which helps promote access to apprenticeships for people with disabilities and other communities.
Reports
- Registered Apprenticeship Programs: Improving the Pipeline for People with Disabilities discusses policy environments affecting apprenticeship, inclusive models, and strategies to address challenges that both programs and participants face.
Papers
- Improving Transition Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities by Increasing Access to Apprenticeship Opportunities Issue Paper examines the role apprenticeship can play in increasing opportunities and improving outcomes for youth with disabilities as they move from school to the workplace.
- Apprenticeships: Modernizing a Proven Workforce Development Strategy explores the current collaborative approach to apprenticeships, involving manufacturers, workforce educators, and others.
Last Updated: November 5, 2020