WASHINGTON STATE – The number of apprentices both nationally and in Washington state has increased by more than 70% over the past decade, according to a report from the Washington Student Achievement Council.
Washington currently hosts nearly 16,000 active apprentices who receive payment for work while attending classroom instruction.
Rachel McAloon, program manager of the Registered Apprenticeship section of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, highlighted the role of significant state and federal grant funding in expanding registered apprenticeships over the past decade.
“Instead of taking on a bunch of debt and going to college and still having to figure out where you’re gonna work when you graduate, we provide the job and full-time employment and benefits at the beginning of the program and then skill the worker up,” McAloon said.
The average income for apprentices who complete their program exceeds $100,000.
However, McAloon explained that expanding apprenticeships involves more than creating new programs. It requires a societal shift to view them as a strong alternative to traditional college education.
