CareerWise USA

Got questions about the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center? We’ve got answers. 👏

From who the Center supports to how it helps states expand youth apprenticeship, our FAQs break down what this work is all about: creating stronger pathways from education to career for young people nationwide.

At the center of it all is the Launchpad Decade (ages 16–26) — a critical time shaped by the “3As”: anxiety about the future, affordability challenges, and the growing impact of AI.

Youth apprenticeship helps meet this moment by connecting young people to paid, real-world learning experiences that build skills, confidence, and career direction.

📍 Learn more about the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center at careerwiseusa.org/apprenticeship-center
📬 Subscribe to stay updated on apprenticeship and workforce innovation.

A powerful day at the AFA Summit highlighting the future of apprenticeship. ⭐️

Yesterday, CareerWise founder Noel Ginsburg received the Champion Award in recognition of his leadership and long-standing commitment to expanding opportunity through apprenticeship pathways for young people.

CareerWise President Brent Parton also joined the plenary panel, “Apprenticeship & Artificial Intelligence: Challenges & Opportunities,” to discuss how AI is reshaping the workforce and why apprenticeship continues to be a critical strategy for preparing talent for the future.

Exciting to see national momentum continue to grow around apprenticeship innovation and impact.

CareerWise President & CEO Brent Parton joined national and state leaders at the Future Forward Summit 2026 to discuss how stronger education-to-career pathways can help prepare young people for the future of work.

A major theme of the conversation was how young people are navigating the “3As” in their Launchpad Decade: anxiety about the future, affordability challenges, and the growing impact of AI on education and work.

Youth apprenticeship offers a powerful solution — connecting students to paid, real-world learning experiences that build skills, confidence, and clearer pathways into meaningful careers.

Thank you to Tennessee SCORE for bringing together leaders committed to creating innovative opportunities for students and strengthening workforce systems nationwide.

"You will be far and away ahead of your peers because of this program, and I wish you all the luck in the world." - Northridge Director of Secondary Education and Student Services Seth Molnar

Today we celebrated the first signing day of the 2026-27 cohort of CareerWise Modern Youth Apprentices at Northridge High School! Kylynn and Elliot signed letters of intent to start with Trinity Lutheran School - Elkhart and Inc., respectively. Kylynn will work as a special education paraprofessional and Elliot is starting as a sales coordinator. Congratulations to these two on the start of their apprenticeship journey!

CareerWise USA

National Apprenticeship Week is almost here!

From April 26 to May 2, we’ll be celebrating how Registered Apprenticeship creates real pathways from high school to high-quality careers.

At CareerWise Elkhart County, we’re proud to partner with employers, schools, and CareerWise USA to expand access to youth apprenticeship.

If you’re an employer in Elkhart County curious how youth apprenticeship could support your talent pipeline, contact Miranda Cripe at [email protected] today!

Stay tuned as we highlight apprentices, employers, and outcomes throughout the week.

Shape the Future: Join the K-12 Pre-Apprenticeship Toolkit Design Session

Pre-apprenticeship is a game-changer for CTE, but the tools must match your district's reality. CareerWise and the LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network are partnering to develop a new statewide resource: The California Pre-Apprenticeship to Apprenticeship Pipeline Toolkit.

Join this interactive design session to hear the toolkit’s vision and tell us exactly what templates, checklists, and solutions (for funding, liability, etc.) you need to succeed. Your feedback will directly shape this final resource.

• When: Monday, April 27, 2026 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. PT
• Where: Virtual (Zoom)

https://events.blackthorn.io/41LNjj6/3a9wUQUxN | Help us build a practical tool you can actually use.

CareerWise ⋮ Events Discover events from CareerWise

🚀 Hey Colorado!

Looking for an easy way to discover career paths? The Apprenticeship Career Expo is the place to be! Students and career seekers can meet Registered Apprenticeship Programs and pre-apprenticeships to learn about opportunities in construction 🦺, education 🏫, healthcare 🥼, and more.

What to expect:
🤝 Ask questions and connect with apprenticeship representatives
📃 Learn how to apply and what makes a candidate stand out
🗺️ Explore the benefits of becoming an apprentice

📅 Tuesday, April 28 | 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
📍 African American Trade Association, 1635 Paris Street, Aurora, CO 80010
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gUGTDmaK

At the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) 2026, one message was clear:
apprenticeships scale when systems are designed to work together.

During Connecting the Dots: Integrating Apprenticeships with Workforce Systems + Plans for the City of LA’s Apprenticeship Hub, leaders from City of LA Workforce Development Board, Goodwill Southern California, and CareerWise shared how Los Angeles is building a cohesive apprenticeship ecosystem aligned to a bold goal: connecting 50,000 Angelenos to good careers over the next five years.

With Goodwill Southern California leading the ecosystem blueprint and CareerWise serving as a core partner, this work is focused on answering foundational questions that determine whether apprenticeship efforts truly scale: who does what in the system, where alignment is missing, and which levers matter most.

Together, we emphasized the core conditions required for scale: stronger integration between education and workforce systems, employers leading through unified sector voices, and clear proof points that expand how people understand what apprenticeships are and who they are for.

This session was not just about sharing a model. It was about equipping workforce leaders with practical tools to map their own ecosystems and begin designing systems intentionally, not by accident.

Current CareerWise staff member, Néstor Deras, who started their career as a youth apprentice at Pinnacol Assurance , testified today in Colorado to support HB 1317, which aims for a Unified Postsecondary Talent Development System.

This bill aims to create a single, coordinated system that connects education, job training, and workforce programs, starting with a plan to bring them under the Department of Higher Education.

If you’re interested in learning more about the bill and supporting this work, leave us a comment below and we’ll connect you with a staff member!