Making the Case for More Apprenticeships in America: A Conversation With John Colborn, Executive Director, Apprenticeships for America
In this episode of Work in Progress, we’re talking about the important role apprenticeships play in preparing people for careers with good pay, benefits, and opportunities for advancement.
You might be surprised to learn that these amazing earn-and-learn opportunities – yes, you get a paycheck as you learn! – are not just in the skilled trades. They’re in a growing number of diverse, in-demand industries.
John Colborn is the executive director of Apprenticeships for America and joins me in conversation. He makes a strong case for why apprenticeships are so valuable.
“An apprenticeship is a job. It’s one of the attractions of apprenticeship. You are very much engaged. This is not a theoretical exercise. You’re very much engaged in the workplace,” he explains.
He adds, “An important feature of an apprenticeship is that there’s mentorship involved. You have somebody in the workplace who is helping connect you to all those unwritten rules that are part of everybody’s workplace, so that you can navigate those and have success there.”
