What Can Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Mentors Learn From Other Occupations?

While teachers are natural instructors—skilled in pedagogy, classroom management, and student engagement—they are not typically trained as evaluators in the way mentors ("journeyworkers") in some trades are. In other fields, such as plumbing, a journeyworker's role often includes direct evaluation of an apprentice’s skills. This raises the question: Is it easier for a plumber journeyworker to evaluate a plumbing apprentice than for a teacher journeyworker to evaluate a teacher apprentice? During the session, we’ll explore: what mentoring and evaluation practices from other occupations might strengthen teacher apprenticeship models, where teacher journeyworkers excel and where they face challenges, and practical strategies for improving mentors’ skills in adult learning theory and apprentice evaluation. This webinar will share insights from 3 State Apprenticeship Directors, spark discussion, and allow for the exchange of ideas across states and contexts.