Erin Mote and Maureen Tracy Mooney discuss teacher apprenticeships, while Ryan Craig explores apprenticeships in tech. The podcast covers the challenges and benefits of apprenticeships, the crisis in college education, launching pad programs for students, and a comparison of apprenticeship programs worldwide. It delves into the difference between internships and apprenticeships and highlights the importance of apprenticeships in various sectors.
Teaching apprenticeships provide high-quality and affordable pathways into the teaching profession, addressing affordability and teacher shortages and attracting a more diverse pool of candidates for improved student outcomes.
Apprenticeships offer a job-first approach, bridging the experience gap in today's job market by providing necessary skills and real-world experience, especially in technology-based jobs as automation and AI reshape the job landscape.
Deep dives
Teaching Apprenticeships: Creating Diverse and Affordable Pathways in Education
Teaching apprenticeships are an emerging alternative pathway in education that combines learning and working. They address the critical issues of affordability and teacher shortages. These apprenticeships provide high-quality and affordable pathways into the teaching profession, allowing individuals to earn money while gaining valuable classroom experience. The programs typically include work experience, integrated coursework, and mentorship, all designed to prepare apprentices for becoming teachers of record. By addressing financial barriers and offering diverse pathways, teaching apprenticeships have the potential to attract a more diverse pool of candidates, contributing to greater educator diversity and improved student outcomes.
Apprenticeships: A Solution to the Skills Gap and Experience Gap
Apprenticeships offer a solution to the skills gap and experience gap that many employers face in today's job market. Traditional college degrees often do not equip graduates with the specific digital and business skills that employers need. Apprenticeships, on the other hand, provide a job-first approach, combining paid work experience with formal classroom training. This allows apprentices to gain the necessary skills and experience in real-world settings, such as cybersecurity or technology-based jobs, which are difficult to learn solely through classroom instruction. As automation and AI continue to reshape the job landscape, apprenticeships become even more critical in providing hands-on experience and bridging the experience gap for entry-level positions.
The Importance of Intermediaries in Scaling Apprenticeship Programs
One of the main barriers to scaling apprenticeship programs is the need for intermediaries to facilitate the setup and operation of these programs. Intermediaries play a crucial role in convincing employers to create apprenticeship opportunities and offering the necessary support and resources. These intermediaries shoulder the heavy lifting of setting up apprenticeship programs, including recruiting apprentices, handling training and mentorship, and managing the logistics of the program. Countries like Germany, the UK, and Australia have flourishing apprenticeship systems because of the strong presence and support of intermediaries. In the US, there is a need to invest in and empower apprenticeship intermediaries to drive the expansion and success of apprenticeship programs across various industries.
Launchpad: Accelerated Pathways to Tech Careers for High School Students
Launchpad is an innovative program in Philadelphia that aims to provide accelerated pathways for high school students to enter high-paying tech careers. Founded by Building 21 and focused on addressing the lack of career trajectories for many high school graduates, Launchpad offers a multi-stage program that starts in the 11th grade and continues into the 13th year. The program combines community-building, industry exploration, and tech skill development, including an in-depth focus on specific technology pathways. Launchpad partners with local employers to offer extended internships or paid apprenticeships, providing valuable work experience and building young people's portfolios. Launchpad showcases the potential of apprenticeship programs to connect high school students to lucrative careers in growing fields like technology.
On this Getting Smart Town Hall, we took a look at apprenticeship pathways and tried to answer some of the following questions: What does a modern apprenticeship system look like? How might we set up the necessary systems to create earn-and-learn opportunities in technology and teaching pathways.
We were joined by Erin Mote, InnovateEDU and Maureen Tracey Mooney, Department of Education who talked about Teacher Apprenticeships and Ryan Craig, author of Apprentice Nation as well as Chip Linehan, Co-CEO of Building 21 and Launchpad who discussed tech pathways for secondary students. Our presenters shared great slides overviewing the critical apprenticeship work across the nation.