Apprenticeship Programs Leave Students Debt-Free & Work-Ready

Who knows the most about the word “apprentice?” Just ask President Trump. After signing an Executive Order (EO) in June calling for apprenticeship expansion, the president remarked on the initiative’s importance and his ability to see it through.

“That’s why, in June, we began a historic initiative to expand apprenticeship and workforce training programs in all industries. We’re expanding pathways to success. So important. And apprenticeships are one of the many avenues that lead to the great jobs, completely debt-free. And who knows more about the word ‘apprentice’ than Donald Trump?”

The EO, “Expanding Apprenticeships in America,” will go towards learn-to-earn programs and hopefully help students become more aware of the multiple pathways they have to a productive life and career.

“Under an apprenticeship,” Trump continued, “you earn while you learn. So important and so great. And you love getting up in the morning and going to work, and a lot of great things involved here.”

Job training programs like apprenticeships are designed to promote skills development, workplace readiness, and increase a worker’s earnings or employability.

While the Presidential Executive Order was signed months ago, it will be acted on by the Trump administration and Congress in the near future. The initiative appears to be a good first step toward “prepar[ing] workers to fill both existing and newly created jobs and to prepare workers for the jobs of the future” while eliminating the disparity between the skills employers want and the skills applicants have.

Apprenticeship expansion continues to unfold on the national level and barriers that stand in the way of apprenticeship programs are removed, American Experiment will carry on its own efforts to inform young Minnesotans of similar opportunities here in the state. Such as, the PIPELINE Project, a registered apprenticeship, or the Learn, Work, Earn apprenticeship.

More about the Center’s “Great Jobs Without a Four-Year Degree” project can be found here.