Apprenticeship: A Bridge to Economic Success for Workers and Industry

By Helen Young Hayes, CEO/Founder ActivateWork

I recently joined a delegation of Colorado leaders in Switzerland to learn about the Swiss dual education system. The foundation of the Swiss model is apprenticeship, which combines on-the-job training, a learning wage, and classroom education. An astonishing 70% of high school graduates opt for apprenticeship; only 25% of graduates choose college. Apprentices can and often do pursue college later in life. There are no dead ends; all paths lead to high-skill prosperity.

Swiss apprenticeships build employer-demanded skills while providing workers with stackable credentials and quick economic independence. The Swiss government spends $4 billion a year on apprenticeship; industry contributes another $7.6 billion, roughly 1% of GDP. Keep in mind, this is for a population of just 8.7 million citizens – about the same as the state of Virginia.

Contrast that with the U.S. model. Today, nearly 75% of all jobs “require” a four-year degree. The problem is, only 40% of Americans have one.¹  It’s more dire here at home. Colorado is the second most educated state, but we import our college graduates. Only 24% of Colorado-born adults earn a degree, but 77% of our top jobs go to those with a bachelor’s designation or higher, resulting in both a skilled worker shortage and untapped homegrown talent.

Apprenticeship is the surest and shortest path to living wages. U.S. apprentices are paid by their employers to learn in-demand skills while earning a nationally recognized certification. Upon completion, apprentices earn an average of $77,000 a year.² Compare this with the average college graduate who earns $55,260³ and has a college debt of $45,300.⁴

U.S. apprenticeship fills critical talent shortages while boosting economic prosperity. Why then is apprenticeship only 0.3%⁵ of the U.S. workforce (and only 0.18% of Colorado’s workforce)?

Total government funding for apprenticeship is only $400 million⁶ a year, just 3% of the $14 billion⁷ spent for workforce services and less than one-third of 1% of the $174.9 billion⁸ federal spending on higher education. College, the main source⁹ of publicly funded credentialing, applies to just 40% of Americans.

There are 6,040 activate apprentices across Colorado, a mere 0.18% of the workforce.

Remember that Swiss investment? If the U.S. government were to invest similarly, it would spend $126 billion a year on apprenticeship, a 300-fold increase, so more Americans have the opportunity for debt-free economic mobility. If the U.S. government were to invest similarly, it would spend $126 billion a year on apprenticeship (a 300-fold increase) to ensure more Americans have the opportunity for debt-free economic mobility.

With almost two open jobs for every available U.S. worker, we need a radical new approach to expand our skilled workforce and drive prosperity. The U.S. should develop a coordinated ecosystem approach to education and workforce development by funding proven strategies like apprenticeship. Employers should become co-creators of talent to fill their critical shortages.

ActivateWork is leading the way, with three IT apprenticeships and a fourth in development. Embodying the elements of the successful Swiss model, we are driving economic freedom through the dignity of work.

ActivateWork and CU Denver Lead the Way with Stackable Credentials

by Kathryn Harris, President/COO ActivateWork

A critical component of a well functioning apprenticeship model is permeability between higher education and alternative training providers like ActivateWork. Permeability provides the ability to transition between education and training systems, reduces barriers, and increases opportunities for Colorado learners and earners. Freedom to move easily between different types of educational experiences – academic, work-based learning, boot camp, apprenticeship – creates multiple pathways to success through stackable credentials.

A partnership with CU Denver allows ActivateWork to provide these stackable experiences and credentials. Earlier this year, CU evaluated our Software Engineering boot camp and determined that learners completing a course certificate with ActivateWork would be awarded 12 credits through the university.

CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks says it best: “Stackable credentials give employees the tools they need to move along career pathways more quickly. Our partnership with ActivateWork will increase workforce development opportunities in Colorado.”

Our next step will be to evaluate and articulate our Junior Software Developer apprenticeship pathway for credit as well.

Graduate Profile

Juan Marquez, AWS re/Start Graduate – Cloud Identity Tech Support Engineer at Ping Identity

A Denver native, Juan Marquez was raised in a Spanish-speaking household that valued work ethic. Juan was diagnosed as hearing impaired in elementary school. Although initially doctors thought he would not be able to learn English due to the diagnosis and Spanish being his native tongue, Juan excelled at school winning, multiple academic awards through middle school. In high school though, Juan experienced two life-changing events, he lost his father and became a father.

From a young age, Juan loved video games. So much so that he learned everything he could about the gaming consoles themselves, including how to repair them. Although he knew he wanted to be involved in tech, a four-year computer science degree was not possible for a father working multiple jobs. “It’s really hard to have the money and time for a college degree – four years is a long time,” says Juan. “I have a great work ethic and just wanted a chance. ActivateWork’s 15-week boot camp and apprenticeship program gave me that chance.”

Juan joined ActivateWork’s AWS re/Start program in 2022, experiencing hands-on, scenario-based coursework that prepared him for a year-long paid DevOps apprenticeship with Ping Identity. Juan says the apprenticeship “offered a clear roadmap for what I needed to learn, how to improve, and what opportunities could be open to me when I finished.” He says he is grateful to Ping Identity for thinking outside of the box when it comes to education, and thankful for ActivateWork, too. “The continuous support I received has led me to the success I’m experiencing now; ActivateWork exceeded my expectations in every way.”