National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration to showcase the opportunities that Registered Apprenticeships offer for Americans to develop workplace experience and skills that employers value. In honor of the 8th Anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, the U.S. Department of Labor is hosting the 8th Annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW)! This year’s NAW will take place November 14-20, 2022, at hundreds of events across the country.

During National Apprenticeship Week, the U.S. Department of Labor will highlight key themes:

  • Monday, Nov. 14: Registered Apprenticeship in New and Emerging Industries
  • Tuesday, Nov. 15: Pre-Apprenticeship and Youth Apprenticeship
  • Wednesday, Nov. 16: Expanding Registered Apprenticeship to Underserved Populations
  • Thursday, Nov. 17: Women in Apprenticeship
  • Friday, Nov. 18: Public Service Apprenticeship and Veterans in Apprenticeship

In support of NAW, we at PIA are sharing key resources to advance understanding about the value of inclusive apprenticeships and how they can create pathways to lifelong careers in growing industries for underserved populations, including people with disabilities. The resources below also include information to help employers and their apprenticeship partners create and expand more inclusive apprenticeship opportunities.

Josh Christianson“I truly believe apprenticeship is the way to go and being inclusive is the way to create a pool of diverse, skilled talent. Inclusive apprenticeships can also create career paths for people with disabilities who have traditionally been excluded from the workforce.”

– Josh Christianson, Project Director, Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship

There are significant benefits to designing programs that are diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all, including:

Workers who complete apprenticeship programs can earn $300,000 more over a career than their peers who don’t.

diverse group of people and a globe

Job seekers prefer employers who are inclusive.[2] 76% of employees and job seekers said a diverse workforce was important when evaluating companies and job offers.[3]

89% of registered apprentices demonstrated a 3-year retention rate. And at four Walgreens locations, the 3-year average turnover rate was 48% higher for team members without a disability as compared to team members with a disability, saving on recruiting and training costs.[1]

Apprenticeships may offer meaningful employment opportunities for the 35% of BIPOC Americans with disabilities who lost their job during the pandemic. The most financially vulnerable population in America is the group of individuals that live at the intersection of disability, race, and ethnicity.[4]

Resources:

people connectedGet Involved

Upcoming Events:

Monday, November 14th

Tuesday, November 15th

Wednesday, November 16th

Thursday, November 17th

Friday, November 18th

Find More NAW Events

References

[1] Kaletta, James P., Douglas J. Binks and Richard Robinson, “Creating an Inclusive Workplace: Integrating Employees with Disabilities into a Distribution Center Environment,” Professional Safety, June 2012, p. 64.

[2] Miller, Jennifer, “For younger job seekers, diversity and inclusion in the workplace aren’t a preference. They’re a requirement.,” Washington Post, 18 February 2021.

[3] Glassdoor, “Diversity and Inclusion Workplace Survey,” 30 September 2020.

[4] “Race, Ethnicity, and Disability: The Financial Impact of Systemic Inequality and Intersectionality,” National Disability Institute, August 2020