This policy brief explores apprentice utilization policies and their potential to create more demand for apprentices in emerging U.S. industries. The paper also reviews the application of these policies in the healthcare industry and proposes approaches to pilot policies for apprentice utilization in healthcare.
Episode 15: How an Inclusive Apprenticeship Led to Marketable Skills in IT: A Neurodiverse Apprentice Shares His Success Story Earl Dube, a graduate of the Bridge to Opportunity IT program who identifies as neurodivergent, shares his journey into an IT career through apprenticeship. He provides advice to other job candidates with disabilities, as well as to employers of neurodiverse apprentices about how they can create inclusive workplaces to broaden their access to a large talent pool of tech professionals.
Episode 14: Four colleagues at Wheelhouse Group, who lead the PIA & PEAT initiatives as prime contractors, come together to discuss their personal experiences as employees with disabilities. Based on their lived experiences as individuals with mental health disabilities, visual impairment and substance use disorder, they offer their advice on what employers and fellow team members can do to create a truly inclusive and stigma free workplace.
Episode 13: Pat Romzek, retired IT Executive and CEO of Three Talents, LLC Pat Romzek, retired IT Executive and CEO of Three Talents, LLC discusses the documented benefits of inclusive IT-focused apprenticeships and their success in developing a diverse, skilled workforce.
Episode 12: David Dame, Director of Accessibility at Microsoft David Dame, Director of Accessibility at Microsoft, discusses the unique skill set and perspective that people with disabilities bring to the workplace and how inclusive apprenticeship provides an opportunity to build high performing teams that foster inclusion and diversity.
Episode 11: Amanda Bybee, CEO of Amicus Solar Cooperative Amanda Bybee, CEO of Amicus Solar Cooperative and recognized leader in the clean energy sector, discusses career opportunities and access to high-growth, high-demand jobs in the solar energy sector and the industry’s commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive pipeline of talent to fill their workforce needs.
Research from Accenture shows how hidden workers, including workers with disabilities, can face enormous challenges finding work or increasing their hours. The reason? They’re often screened out early on by hiring processes that rely on recruitment management systems to automatically filter and rank candidates. Hiring hidden workers is not just good for the individuals concerned, it also offers real benefits to the organizations they join. Nearly two-thirds of executives hiring hidden workers report that their new recruits perform “significantly better” than average across a range of key indicators including work ethic, productivity, work quality, attendance and innovation.
As Governors continue to navigate an evolving labor market and economic climate, registered apprenticeship can be leveraged as a proven strategy for bolstering both businesses and workers. Scaling and sustaining robust, equitable registered apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship ecosystems is a reliable and proven approach Governors can take to ensure their state is economically competitive and that every youth and adult – regardless of race, gender, ability, prior educational background or socio-economic status – can access quality training pathways that lead to family-sustaining careers.
