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Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, mentorship, and a portable credential. 

Apprenticeship training is distinguished from other types of workplace training by several factors:

(1) Apprenticeships are jobs! Apprentices earn wages from their employers during training; 

(2) Apprenticeship programs provide on-the-job learning and job-related classroom training;

(3) On-the-job learning is conducted in the work setting under the direction of a mentor(s); and  

(4) Training results in an industry-recognized and portable credential. 

The U.S. Department of Labor does not have an official definition of internship or externship. However, generally speaking, differences between internships and apprenticeships include:

1)   Length of Time: Internships are usually short term (1-3 months) and apprenticeships are longer term (1-3 years).

2)      Structure:

a.     Apprenticeships include a structured training plan, with a focus on mastering specific skills an employer needs to fill an occupation within their organization.

b.     Internships aren’t structured and often focus on entry-level general work experience.

3)    Mentorship: Apprentices receive individualized training with an experienced mentor who walks them through their entire process. Internships do not always include mentorship.

4)    Pay: Apprenticeships are paid experiences that often lead to full-time employment. Internships are often unpaid and may not lead to a full-time job.

5)    Credential: Apprenticeships lead to an industry-recognized credential. Internships typically do not lead to a credential.

6)    College Credit: Internship and apprenticeship experiences may both lead to college credit, although some apprenticeship programs will lead to a debt-free college degree.

The length of an apprenticeship program can vary depending on the employer, complexity of the occupation, industry, and the type of program.

Yes! Apprenticeship spans more than 1,000 occupations including careers in health care, cybersecurity, information technology, and energy. 

In June 2017, President Trump signed the Executive Order “Expanding Apprenticeships in America.” This Executive Order contained several important tasks and requirements to help modernize America’s education systems and workforce development programs by expanding apprenticeships. You can find the Presidential Executive Order Expanding Apprenticeships in America on the White House website.

IRAPs are high-quality apprenticeship programs recognized by industry and/or workforce leaders known as SREs. IRAPs were designed to give the additional flexibility necessary to expand the apprenticeship model and to address the diverse workforce needs of different industries and occupations. A RAP is a proven model of apprenticeship that has been validated by the Department of Labor or State Apprenticeship Agency. RAPs are known for their structure, rigor, and quality and are designed for organizations interested in receiving the DOL or state seal of approval and funding opportunities made available by DOL. The U.S. Department of Labor has created a helpful side-by-side document comparing the two programs at www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/program-comparison.