Study from Center for Public Education Links Apprenticeships to 21st Century Skills

The Center for Public Education (CPE), a research arm of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), announced today the release of A New Look at Apprenticeship: Linking School to 21st Century Skills, which examines apprenticeships, finding them to be an effective, key element in helping students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be successful after high school graduation.  

"Schools constantly need to expose students to a variety of programs that ready them for college, the workplace and a successful community life," said NSBA Executive Director and CEO Thomas J. Gentzel. "While apprenticeships have had a long history of developing trade skills for young people, they should now be viewed for their role in building 21stcentury skills and narrowing the skilled labor gap in our ever-evolving technological world."  

In its new report, CPE explores apprenticeships' impact on developing workplace skills, finding that the apprenticeship model-career building and life-long learning-can be effective. CPE also found that modern apprenticeships have been shown to lower unemployment among youth, produce high-skilled workers who meet industry needs, and foster meaningful and lifelong learning.  

The increasingly challenging and competitive job market of tomorrow requires educators and policymakers alike to focus on enhancing students' educational opportunities. In examining the data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), CPE suggests school districts, when developing apprenticeship programs and partnerships, consider the following:

-- Find ways to make school more relevant to the job market; 
-- Help establish a continuous pipeline of high-skilled workers to the job market; 
-- Consider partnerships with community colleges and local businesses; and
-- Better link school learning to 21st century skills.  

"Apprenticeship programs in the 21st century help students acquire not only occupational skills, but also communication and collaboration skills that employers want and need," said Jinghong Cai, Ph.D., Research Analyst at the Center for Public Education and author of the report.

Featured

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • Kimball International Launches New Furniture for K–12 Classrooms

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of four new products designed for a variety of professional environments, including K–12 schools, according to a news release.

  • Inglewood Unified School District Breaks Ground on New High School

    The Inglewood Unified School District in Inglewood, Calif., recently broke ground on a new campus for Inglewood High School, according to a news release. The project has a budget of about $240 million, funding coming through bond proceeds from Measure I.

  • California K–12 District Opens New Athletic Complex, Gym

    The San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) in San Mateo, Calif., recently announced the completion of two new athletics facilities: a new gymnasium at Burlingame High School, and a new athletic training complex at San Mateo High School, according to a news release.

Digital Edition