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Engineer showing female apprentice how to operate machinery

Transforming apprenticeships: strategies for success

Photographic portrait of Rosalin Acosta
Rosalin Acosta

Managing Director, Ernst & Young LLP

1 minute read 24 Jan 2025
Related topics
Government and Public Sector

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As the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the profound benefits of completing a Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program have been witnessed across various sectors, including trades, manufacturing, health care, IT, and beyond. These programs offer mutual benefits: workers acquire essential skills while earning an income, and employers maintain a workforce trained to meet their specific needs.

How EY can help

Additionally, investing in employee development often results in higher retention rates. Despite their potential as a key workforce development strategy, RA programs are not as widely recognized and adopted as they could be. Agency leaders need a playbook to help them build impactful apprenticeship programs that turn skills shortages into talent surpluses.

Dom Reissmeier, Senior Manager, Technology Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP contributed to this content.

Summary 

Faced with historical skills shortages, agencies need to be strategic about workforce development. Increasing public awareness about the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship programs will open doors for more workers, helping them acquire in-demand skills as they earn a wage, while employers will benefit from a pipeline of skilled labor tailored to their specific needs, fostering innovation and healthy competition. By following a playbook that blends strategy, technology and process, agencies can create robust apprenticeship programs that clear the way for apprentices and program sponsors to connect and build relationships while empowering staff to redirect energy from paperwork to program improvement/expansion.

About this article

Photographic portrait of Rosalin Acosta
Rosalin Acosta
Managing Director, Ernst & Young LLP
Former Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. Led rebranding of 16 Workforce Investment Boards and 20 career centers to align with the commonwealth’s strategy.
Related topics
Government and Public Sector

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