Many high schools across America run work-based learning programs to help students apply and expand knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world applications. Youth apprenticeship ensures that students earn income while they learn the skills for a rewarding career. Iowa’s statewide initiative to expand youth apprenticeships is notable for the quality and focus of work-based learning through Registered Apprenticeships, the engagement of high schools as sponsors of apprenticeship programs, and the potential for growth based on employer and student interest. The Urban Institute conducted a case study of Iowa’s initiative to explore the partnerships needed to create youth apprenticeship programs, as well as the impacts the programs have on businesses, students, schools, and communities. Iowa’s successes and challenges in building a youth apprenticeship system can serve as useful lessons for policymakers and practitioners working to create their own.