To grow and to thrive in today’s economy, employers in all industries need a highly skilled workforce. Now, more and more are discovering a proven strategy for building one: apprenticeship.
Combining classroom instruction with on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs help bridge skills gaps and bring new and more diverse talent into the workplace, including people with disabilities and those with diverse backgrounds and education experiences. The result is a pipeline of primed and ready workers for years to come.
What’s more, apprenticeship is a strategy for preparing workers in not only traditional trades, such as construction, but also high-growth industries, such as health care, information technology, transportation, energy, and many others.
Interested in learning more about how apprenticeships can help build a skilled, diverse workforce for your company or industry? View “#ApprenticeshipWorks,” a video produced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. This video features interviews with representatives from four organizations that manage or sponsor apprenticeships in a range of fields, including information technology, health care information management, and shipbuilding.
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Additional resources for employers about inclusive apprenticeship include:
- Office of Disability Employment Policy Apprenticeship webpage
- What Apprenticeship Employers Need To Know About Working with Young Adults with Disabilities
- Registered Apprenticeship Programs: Improving the Pipeline for People with Disabilities
- Final Rule on Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship (December 2016)
- U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship webpage
- Apprenticeship Works for Business: A Guide to Building Inclusive Workplaces