The CareerWise model’s sustainability is based on the premise that each party involved—the apprentice and the hiring business—benefit from participating in apprenticeship.
Students graduate high school on time, earn a nationally-recognized industry certification and debt-free college credit. Additionally, apprentices enter the workforce—either after they’ve completed a higher-ed degree or immediately following their apprenticeship—with a professional network and valuable experience in high-paying and in-demand fields.
Businesses realize positive ROI based on the value of the apprentices’ work, reduce turnover costs and create a talent pipeline of skilled workers for hard-to-fill positions.
CareerWise looks to the Swiss apprenticeship system for inspiration and has borrowed elements of that model to adapt in Colorado. In Switzerland there are more than 230 approved apprenticeship occupations, and 40 percent of all companies participate in the program. In that environment, 70 percent of Swiss students choose apprenticeships and 30 percent of them stay with their training company or return after college. In fact, many of the world’s largest companies are run by CEOs that started out as an apprentice. It’s that kind of endless possibility we’re building in New York with CareerWise—apprentices that start in high school and end with college or career success.