A new Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia study is challenging a common assumption in workforce development: that apprenticeships and college are separate or competing pathways. Instead, researchers found that apprenticeships and postsecondary education are often closely connected, with many apprentices attending college before, during or after their apprenticeship experience.
The report comes as policymakers increasingly promote apprenticeships to address workforce shortages and create new routes to good-paying careers. For community colleges, the findings reinforce their growing role as key partners in apprenticeship programs and workforce training systems.
Researchers analyzed Lightcast labor market data, including nearly 400,000 apprenticeship-related job postings and roughly 280,000 worker profiles containing apprenticeship experience, to examine how apprenticeships fit into broader education and career pathways. Their findings suggest that apprenticeships are often not a substitute for college. Nearly half of apprentices had attended some college before beginning an apprenticeship, and about 32% entered with an existing college credential.
At the same time, many apprentices continued their education after entering a program. Researchers found that roughly 30% of apprentices who started without prior educational credentials ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree, while another 10% went on to attain a graduate degree.
The study notes that recent federal initiatives, including Workforce Pell funding, could further strengthen connections between apprenticeship programs and higher education.
Not either/or
The report offers evidence that apprenticeships can complement rather than compete with traditional academic programs. Learners may earn certificates, associate degrees and other credentials while participating in apprenticeship programs, then continue on to bachelor’s and graduate programs later in their careers.
Researchers also found significant differences across occupational fields. Apprentices in traditional skilled trades such as construction, maintenance and production occupations often entered apprenticeships with little related educational or occupational experience, suggesting they were using apprenticeships as a pathway into a new career field. By contrast, apprentices in business, science and other white-collar fields were more likely to have prior education or work experience in the same sector and appeared to use apprenticeships to deepen existing skills and build additional credentials.
Related article: Reimagining postsecondary pathways: Apprenticeship degrees
Another key finding is the continued expansion of apprenticeships beyond the skilled trades. Historically concentrated in construction and manufacturing, apprenticeships have increasingly moved into areas such as cybersecurity, software engineering, financial services and other professional occupations. Examples of large corporations introducing these types of apprenticeships include IBM, Accenture and Aon, which have expanded apprenticeship opportunities across technical fields over the last decade.
That shift could create new opportunities for community colleges, many of which have expanded employer partnerships in information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and other high-demand fields. Colleges are increasingly developing stackable credential pathways that combine classroom learning, industry certifications and paid workplace experience. The report suggests apprenticeships may become an even more important component of those pathways.
How to measure apprenticeships
The research also raises questions about how apprenticeship activity is measured in the U.S. The authors estimated that only about 26% of apprenticeship-related postings were connected to registered apprenticeship programs. The finding suggests that a substantial number of apprenticeship opportunities may exist outside federal tracking systems, potentially limiting policymakers’ understanding of the full apprenticeship landscape.
That ties into broader challenges for apprenticeships. Many funding and policy frameworks treat apprenticeship as a standalone workforce program rather than one component of a broader educational pathway, which can limit support and create administrative barriers, the report says.
“Funding and accountability frameworks that fail to recognize the relationship between apprenticeship and other postsecondary degree options — treating apprenticeship as a self-contained workforce training program — miss the reality of how apprentices move through the postsecondary system,” it says.
