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Is an Apprenticeship the Right Fit? A Guide for Career Development Professionals and Parents
If you work with teens or young adults exploring their path forward, you have probably fielded many questions relating to what to choose to do after high school. Lately, I am sure questions like “Is college worth it?” or "Is there some other way to get a job I need?” have been uttered often. While there are a multitude of ways to answer those questions, one way is through introducing Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are one answer worth understanding well because they are getting more attention lately. The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced new funding aimed at expanding apprenticeship opportunities nationwide, and that growing investment means more students and clients will be asking about this option in the months ahead.
What Is an Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a defined pathway with a beginning, clear milestones, and an endpoint that leads to additional workforce opportunities that pairs paid work with structured on-the-job and classroom-based instruction. An apprentice works under the guidance of an experienced professional, earns wages from day one, and completes related classroom or technical instruction alongside that work. The goal is a nationally recognized credential in a specific occupation partnered with paid work experience, something an employer anywhere can trust.
Two Levels: Youth and Adult
Not all apprenticeships look the same, and the age of the person you are advising matters.
Youth Registered Apprenticeships generally serve people still in high school who are at least 16 years of age. They are built to connect high school education (graduating high school is a requirement while in the program) and critical on-the-job training to create the right combination to a promising career. According to the Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships program FAQ page: “Youth apprenticeships are open to high school juniors, seniors and graduating seniors, giving them the opportunity to earn while they learn through paid on-the-job training under the direction of an industry mentor. Youth apprentices also take college classes that directly relate to their apprenticeship.”
Adult Registered Apprenticeships follow the same basic structure of paid work plus related instruction, including being hired by the employer before being considered an apprentice. However, according to the Apprenticeship Carolina FAQ page for adult apprenticeships, “To join a Registered Apprenticeship Program, you will need the following:
At least one form of Identification
Permitted to work in United States of America
High School Diploma or GED (for some adult programs)
Qualifications
Requirements vary by occupation and by program, but most apprenticeships ask for a minimum age (usually sixteen for youth programs, eighteen for many adult Registered Apprenticeships), a high school diploma or equivalent for some occupations, and the ability to pass any required background check or basic skills assessment the sponsoring employer uses. Some trades also require a valid driver's license. Encourage the people you work with to check the specific program's listing rather than assume one standard list applies everywhere.
What Education Is Included
This is one of the most reassuring parts of an apprenticeship for a hesitant student or parent: the learning does not stop once the paid work begins. Related technical instruction is built into every apprenticeship, delivered through a community college, technical school, union training center, or employer led classroom. That instruction counts toward the final credential, and in youth programs it often counts toward high school graduation requirements as well, sometimes through dual enrollment that also builds college credit. The apprentice is not choosing between working and learning. They are doing both, and the program is designed to keep that balance sustainable.
Benefits and Drawbacks to Weigh
Every option has tradeoffs, and apprenticeships are no exception. While the decision to apply for an apprenticeship should be left up to each individual, it is important to ensure they have a clear image of the benefits and drawbacks.
YOUTH APPRENTICESHIPS | |
On the benefit side, youth apprentices earn money immediately. Instead of taking on debt to learn, they graduate with a portable credential employers recognize, and they gain real workplace experience years before most of their peers. At the same time, those students considering continuing on to a 4-year college find the apprenticeship itself becomes a strong credential on a college application. For a student who learns best by doing, that hands-on structure can be the difference between disengaging from school and thriving in it. | On the drawback side, youth apprenticeships require a real time commitment. A high school student balancing classes, a job site schedule, and related instruction may find there is little room left for sports, clubs, or other extracurriculars. Additionally, they are working alongside adults in a work environment conducive to the goals of the business, not the developmental needs of 16 year olds. Youth apprentices may find themselves having to adapt to a work environment vastly different from their classroom or school settings. |
ADULT APPRENTICESHIPS | |
On the benefit side, adult apprenticeships offer paid work while gaining industry-required credentials, which may be appealing to adults who may have dependents, rent, and other bills to pay. There is also no cost to the students for any required education beyond a high school diploma or GED, and an apprenticeship may increase the speed of advancement in a particular profession. | On the drawback side, adult apprenticeships may be limited by availability of qualified (and interested) employers, may not be local which may provide transportation issues, and may not offer benefits. Additionally, the hours may be limited to the mentor’s availability, required coursework may be challenging, and the experience may separate the apprentice from peers in the workplace. |
Helping a client weigh their perspectives of the benefits vs the drawbacks, is where your guidance matters most.
How to Find Out More
If you or the person you are supporting lives in South Carolina, Apprenticeship Carolina, part of the SC Technical College System, is the best place to start. They work directly with employers across the state to register and support apprenticeship programs, and their team can help connect a student with current openings in their field of interest.
Outside South Carolina, the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Finder lets you search current openings by occupation or location anywhere in the country. Many states also have their own technical college system or workforce development office with a dedicated apprenticeship office, so a quick search for "[your state] apprenticeship office" is often a fast way to find a local contact who can walk a student or client through next steps.
The Bottom Line
Whether a client ends up on the apprenticeship path or not, the real win is a thoughtful decision rather than a default one. That is where a Career Development Facilitator, or an informed parent, makes the biggest difference: not steering someone toward the "right" choice, but helping them see the choice clearly in the first place.
If you are a career development professional who wants to sharpen exactly that kind of guidance, whether it is apprenticeships, college, or any other path a student or client is weighing, my certified Facilitating Career Development Training (suitable for the NCDA CCSP credential) and my certified Global Career Development Facilitator Training (suitable for the CC+E GCDF credential) builds those skills. Click here to Learn More
