<aside> 💡 Explore recommendations and best practices on how to build equitable pre-apprenticeship service programs.

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🔽 ****Explore Further | Action Steps

Guest Perspective: Vanessa Bennett, Robert Godfried, Brent Kossick

This article summarizes the report “Advancing Pre-Apprenticeship Programming Through National Service.” This report was co-authored by ****Service Year Alliance, Jobs for the Future, and Next100 and provides grantees, state service commissions, and the AmeriCorps federal agency with recommendations and examples on how to build equitable pre-apprenticeship national service programming that provides service year corps members with workforce skills and prepares them for entry into an apprenticeship or career.

National service programming has a long track record of launching corps members into a wide variety of careers. With the recent passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, billions of new dollars are set to flow into the economy as the United States makes a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure, green energy, and health care. Yet, the United States is in the midst of a workforce shortage and lacks adequate pathways necessary to fill the jobs of the future. New and existing apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs will play a central role in connecting the next generation of workers to these opportunities. This is a pivotal opportunity for the national service ecosystem to prepare the next generation of civic leaders to enter these careers by embracing workforce pathway models including pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programming.

National service programs can offer powerful workforce development opportunities for the individuals they engage, especially young adults. Market research studies conducted by Service Year Alliance indicate the growing importance that young people view service as more than a gap year, and instead clearly understand how the experience will assist them in achieving their next steps in life. Furthermore, Service Year Alliance’s Pathways After Service Report demonstrates that well-designed national service programs provide corps members with the opportunity to gain the technical and employability skills that are valued by a wide range of employers and Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs, or Registered Apprenticeships). For many AmeriCorps programs, it will not take a dramatic shift in design to serve as effective pathways to family-sustaining careers and quality RAP opportunities. In many cases, only minor adjustments are needed for programs to adopt pre-apprenticeship models and engage the apprenticeship system.

Integrating service with pre-apprenticeship programming offers some of the most innovative, equitable, and replicable workforce development training models within the national service ecosystem. Adopting a pre-apprenticeship curriculum is an opportunity to increase a program’s value proposition by creating clear post-service pathways for corps members.

Aligning with the pre-apprenticeship model can enhance recruitment and outreach efforts for service organizations and help to drive diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Additional benefits of aligning service with pre-apprenticeship models include increased flexibility to advance workforce development efforts, ability to expand employer partnerships and provide corps members with advanced standing in a Registered Apprenticeship, and opportunities to enhance the service experience through structured career exploration, mentorship, and wraparound services. Pre-apprenticeships also provide members with critical opportunities for career exploration, quality mentorship, and social capital accumulation, as well as wraparound services.

High-quality pre-apprenticeship program models not only incorporate the development of technical and employability skills, but also build off the existing ability of national service programs to provide participants with the professional support they need for long-term success. Pre-apprenticeship programming can also strengthen existing efforts on the part of service programs to provide personal support and life skills to corps members by increasing opportunities to leverage community resources, provide wraparound services, and support the exploration of post-service career and education pathways. While there is not a federal registration process for pre-apprenticeship programs, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued guidance on key elements that should be included. These elements, outlined in “Training and Employment Notice 13-12,” include approved curricula, simulated work experiences, facilitated entry into a RAP, an emphasis on increased diversity, supportive services, and sustainable partnerships.

Below you will find a gloss of the report’s recommendations. The full report can be found on the Service Year Alliance and Next100 websites.