Registration agencies play a critical role in administering the registered apprenticeship system, including facilitating the creation of youth apprenticeship programs. The US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (OA) oversees this process in about half the states (24) and several territories, while State Apprenticeship Agencies (SAAs) play this role in the remaining states and territories.

At a minimum, these agencies—including state and regional OA staff members—must approve the registration of any new youth apprenticeship program. They also can encourage the expansion of youth apprenticeships through greater funding, technical assistance, and outreach.

This fact sheet reflects key lessons for registration agencies from the Urban Institute’s five years as a youth apprenticeship intermediary for the US Department of Labor.

Registration Policies and Practices Are Uneven

States (and territories) have taken different approaches to the registration of youth apprenticeship programs; some encourage registration while others have made it difficult. Some registration agencies are hesitant to approve any youth apprenticeship programs, while others are reluctant to approve certain design elements, such as the competency-based approaches that provide students flexibility to balance school and work.

States with the most, and the fewest, apprentices in youth-focused programs. All three states with the most youth apprentices have SAA registration agencies; the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-ranked states all have OA registration agencies (table 1).
 

TABLE 1

States Leading in Registered Youth Apprentices

Source: Daniel Kuehn, Alex Trutko, Julia Payne, and John Trutko, Youth Apprenticeship in the United States: Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio (PDF) (Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2023).
Note: These numbers reflect apprentices enrolled in programs exclusively serving people ages 16–24 or programs associated with high schools or youth correctional facilities.

Similarly, the list of states with the fewest youth apprenticeships includes both types of registration agencies. But the scarcity is particularly evident (PDF) in SAA states.

• Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico, all SAA states, had fewer than 10 apprentices registered in youth-focused programs in 2021.
• Eleven additional states—four SAA and seven OA—had between 17 and 24 apprentices registered in youth-focused programs in 2021.

Two approaches to recognizing youth apprenticeships. Potential sponsors face different requirements and processes to design, register, and launch youth apprenticeship programs across the country.

• In some states, such as Wisconsin, Maryland, and Georgia, agencies oversee high school–based youth apprenticeships through a system that sits outside the registered apprenticeship process. This approach limits momentum and support from federal apprenticeship investments, such as the Youth Apprenticeship Intermediaries or the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grants.
• Other states, such as North Carolina and Connecticut, have integrated youth-exclusive programs, for both in-school and out-of-school youth, with their overall registered apprenticeship strategy. This approach can help ensure consistency in program design and labor market value for apprentices of all ages.

In some states with very few youth apprentices, it may not yet be clear which approach the state will take.

Youth Apprentices Pursue Nontraditional Occupations 

Registration agencies interested in expanding youth apprenticeship should be familiar with registered apprenticeship programs in nontraditional occupations, outside the building and construction trades and manufacturing industries. A larger share of youth apprentices enters these occupations than apprentices in the larger registered apprenticeship system.

• Sixty-one percent of occupations, and 46 percent of youth apprentices, registered through Urban’s Youth Apprenticeship Intermediary (YAI) project have been in occupations other than building and construction.
• The youth apprentices supported by Urban’s YAI project are especially concentrated in nursing, information technology, and education; they also participate in very small programs for occupations including wellness coach and retail operations specialist.

States and Intermediaries Could Coordinate Better 

Apprenticeship intermediaries do not always coordinate closely with state apprenticeship agencies, state OA directors and representatives, and state-level apprenticeship leaders. This sometimes creates tension when multiple stakeholders approach the same employers to promote apprenticeship. Through the YAI project, Urban established close, smooth interactions with registration agencies in Florida, Indiana, Iowa, and Tennessee. Those agencies in turn referred Urban to other companies in need of support.

Registration Agencies Have Opportunities to Expand Youth Apprenticeships

Registration agencies can help grow youth apprenticeship across the country by adopting consistent policies, processes, and strategies to register youth apprenticeship programs.

Remove barriers and add incentives. Registration agencies and state and regional OA staff can expand registered apprenticeship programs in general, and youth apprenticeship programs in particular, by simplifying and expediting the registration process and following the flexibility allowed by federal regulations and OA policies (PDF). Registration agencies can also leverage state and federal funds to offer incentives to sponsors launching or expanding programs, such as North Carolina’s free tuition at community colleges for high school apprentices.

 Registration agencies can also use federal grants or state funding to support apprenticeship programs financially. Urban’s YAI project allocated 13 percent of its budget to employer incentive funds, which proved a valuable resource for starting and expanding programs, as well as supporting specific program elements, including mentorship and wraparound services like transportation.

Create a process for intermediaries to coordinate with the registration agency. Intermediaries and employers working across numerous states will not always know what level or form of communication SAA or OA staff members are expecting. Registration agencies can foster collaboration by establishing a process for coordination and by disseminating any guidelines or expectations online, through USDOL, and even by proactive outreach to federal apprenticeship grantees.

Establish clear parameters and expectations for registering youth apprenticeship programs. The Office of Apprenticeship sets the rules under which SAAs and state and regional OA staff engage with potential and existing youth apprenticeship programs. OA can issue standard guidance to be required for all states so allowable youth program designs, especially those in nontraditional occupations, are approved through a consistent review process. OA could further facilitate the growth of youth apprenticeship programs by establishing a shared definition of youth apprenticeship and how it fits into the registered apprenticeship system.

Use youth apprenticeships to bolster apprenticeship in nontraditional occupations. Many states are prioritizing the expansion of apprenticeship in nontraditional occupations as part of a broader effort to scale up registered apprenticeship. Because youth apprenticeship programs skew toward nontraditional occupations, states could meet their expansion goals by actively integrating youth apprenticeship with their strategic plans.