Highlights of a record-breaking National Apprenticeship Week 2024

We’ve come a long way from talking about Registered Apprenticeship as the nation’s best kept secret in workforce development. Far from it: This year our ApprenticeshipUSA partners – which include employers and industry representatives, labor and community-based organizations, workforce partners, educational institutions, and federal, state, and local government agencies – successfully hosted over 1,580 events and issued almost 900 proclamations celebrating Registered Apprenticeship! This all-time record of almost 2,500 total NAW activities shows that the secret is out, and change is here to stay.

National Apprenticeship Week has been a barometer of public engagement regarding Registered Apprenticeship and its value for all Americans and industries. Imagine: Our first year, we were thrilled to see over 300 events and proclamations across the country. Fast forward to today, when we had almost 2,500! 

This steady increase in activity hosted by ApprenticeshipUSA partners over the years reflects the growing awareness and value of Registered Apprenticeship for strengthening our economy by developing a highly skilled workforce to meet industry needs and creating pathways for all career seekers into good jobs. It also reflects the significant growth in Registered Apprenticeship programs and active apprentices outlined in my last blog. 

Highlights from this year’s landmark celebration touched on all parts of our ApprenticeshipUSA ecosystem, including:

Celebrating Registered Apprentices

There were many events celebrating the successes of Registered Apprentices. At the White House we honored the first cohort of “Apprentice Trailblazers” – current and recently graduated apprentices ages 16-24 – for their dedication to spreading the word about Registered Apprenticeship. The Trailblazers even took over the department’s Instagram account! Outside the Beltway, apprentices were being recognized across the country that were also blazing new paths. The Manufacturing Association of Central New York also celebrated their new Quality Assurance Auditor apprentices and the Mass Bankers Association held a graduation ceremony for its Credit Analyst Registered Apprenticeship Program apprentice graduates. 

Check out more Trailblazer accomplishments from the past year:

Celebrating the role of industry

This year, hundreds of employers, industry associations, employer partners and labor union affiliates hosted events to spread awareness of their programs. The events encouraged career seekers to consider Registered Apprenticeship and other employers to consider setting up a program. 

For example, the Chicago Apprentice Network featured Zurich North America’s program at an event that featured a diverse group of industry, academia, and the public sector, while net.America hosted a panel of industry experts who discussed ways Registered Apprenticeship can bolster diversity in the energy industry and meet the growing employer demands. 

Celebrating the role of higher education in Registered Apprenticeship

During National Apprenticeship Week we recognized the hard but critical work of partners in higher education to meet the rising demand for a skilled workforce. Apprenticeship Ambassador Lewis-Burke Associates hosted a webinar geared toward the over 200 institutes of higher education representatives registered to learn about starting Registered Apprenticeship Programs. 

We also marked the launch of the HBCU Registered Apprenticeship Collaborative with an inaugural virtual convening featuring The White House Initiative on HBCUs and over 50 HBCU leaders, including Tuskegee University, which announced its new Registered Apprenticeship program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Participants also discussed their Registered Apprenticeship programs, shared best practices and lessons learned and additional opportunities for collaboration. 

Celebrating the role of local, state and federal partners

President Biden showed his support with an official proclamation, as did hundreds of governors, mayors and other elected officials across the country. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management hosted a webinar on “Navigating the Path to Public Service: How Registered Apprenticeships Open Doors.” We also joined the Governors’ Apprenticeship Innovation Summit in Phoenix, Arizona, and hosted the D.C. Department of Employment Services’ HBCU Public Service Program Roundtable.  

We are grateful to community-based organizations and other workforce partners who are leading the way with Registered Apprenticeship and hosted events. We look forward to sharing more highlights in the coming weeks. In the meantime, visit our social media wall to see more from #NAW2024.

The future of NAW

Most importantly: Save the date for #NAW2025!  After a successful 10-year run, it’s time to consider ways to take NAW to the next level. Our ApprenticeshipUSA partners over the past decade shared feedback that November is a challenging time of year for NAW due to budget cycles, colder weather and election season so we have decided to move National Apprenticeship Week to the spring to capitalize on warmer weather, graduation ceremonies and other end-of-year celebrations. To help with the transition, there will be a single National Apprenticeship Day in 2025, resuming the week-long celebration in 2026. Make note of dates for the next four years:

• April 30, 2025 
• April 26-May 2, 2026
• April 25-May 1, 2027
• April 23-April 29, 2028

Visit Apprenticeship.gov to find news about future National Apprenticeship Week plans, learn how to start an apprenticeship program, find apprenticeship opportunities, explore resources for educators and more.

John Ladd is the administrator for the Office of Apprenticeship in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.