Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the relationship between apprenticeship completion and retention and student characteristics in the CareerWise program.
- The study used internal program data to assess apprentice retention and completion.
- The study found that 64% of CareerWise apprentices transitioned into further education or employment and that participating in Registered Apprenticeship or apprenticeships in financial services industries had greater apprentice retention.
- The research is based on a small sample of roughly 200 apprentices, with limited information regarding their experiences. As a result, the findings may not include all factors affecting retention and cannot be applied broadly to apprentices' experiences nationwide.
Intervention Examined
CareerWise Youth Apprenticeship Program
Features of the Intervention
CareerWise is a non-profit organization that began offering youth apprenticeship opportunities to public high school students of Colorado in 2017; it has since expanded to many other states. The intervention is intended to address a gap in skilled labor in the United States and provide young people with alternative pathways to career and educational success. Students typically apply to the program in their second or third year of high school and are placed in a paid job while still attending regular classes. Employers conduct interviews to decide if candidates are eligible, while CareerWise finds applicants in high schools and in partnership with other community-based partners. The hours worked by participants grow steadily over the first three years of the program. Participants may receive a variety of supportive or mentorship services as part of their apprenticeship, but such activities are not standardized across the program. At the end of the program, the goal is for apprentices to either get a full-time job offer or continue their education.
Features of the Study
The descriptive study used administrative program data provided by CareerWise. The data includes information on the 2017 and 2018 cohorts of apprentices in Colorado, detailing their experiences in the apprenticeship program, exit outcomes, and demographic and school characteristics. The authors chose this cohort consisting of 232 apprentices to study because they had complete data on their 3-year apprenticeship experience, and this group was thought to be the least affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cohort was 51% male and predominantly white, with 21% Hispanic or Latino, 9% Black, and 6% Asian apprentices. Most (88%) apprenticeships were non-registered, with business operations being the most common occupation, followed by information technology, advanced manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare. Additionally, 31% of apprentices attended schools where over half of the students received free or reduced-price lunches. The authors used descriptive statistics to examine program retention and completion and correlational analyses to examine factors affecting retention and completion.
Findings
- The study found that 91 out of 232 apprentices completed all 3 years of the apprenticeship and that 47 out of 91 apprenticeship completers accepted full-time offers from their employer.
- The study found that 54 apprentices dropped out of the program after the first year, mainly to explore other educational options. Fewer apprentices left in the second and third years.
- Business operations and healthcare apprenticeships had significantly less apprentice retention compared to other apprenticeship fields. Registered apprenticeships had significantly more apprentice retention.
- Male apprentices and White apprentices were significantly more likely to be retained for a longer period relative to Black or female apprentices. However, some of this difference is due to how students are placed in jobs that generally have lower retention rates, regardless of their race or gender.
- Regardless of occupation, students from schools with a high rate of free or reduced-price school lunches (indicative of lower socioeconomic status) were retained less than students from relatively more affluent schools.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The study examines a small number of apprentices and there is a limited amount of background or demographic data available for each apprentice. There may be other unobserved factors impacting apprentice retention or completion. Moreover, the small cohort studied limits the generalizability of the study’s findings to the experiences of youth apprentices nationally.