For too long, higher education has acted as if learning only matters when it happens in the classroom. Millions of Americans know otherwise.
Opportunities shouldn’t require relocation, excessive debt, or navigation systems designed for someone else’s life. Our nation must expand its definition of where learning takes place and recognize learning wherever it takes place.
Apprenticeship is a natural place to start building a wider network of opportunities. As the country debates the cost of college, the workforce shortage, economic security and the future of work, apprenticeships offer something rare: a solution that works for students, employers and communities. It is a framework for learning, earning and growing.
As chancellor of California Community Colleges, which serves more than 2.2 million students at 116 colleges, I see every day that students want pathways that are convenient, affordable, and connected to opportunity. Employers want workers who can contribute from day one and continue to grow over time. Communities want stronger local economies.
This is exactly what apprenticeships offer. They combine paid on-the-job learning with classroom teaching. They allow students to earn a salary while developing their skills. They reduce the need to take on debt. They create real experience, real momentum and real references. They give employers a direct role in training the talent they need while strengthening communities’ access to essential workforce services.
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It is important to note that apprenticeship links education to the dignity of work. They remind us that intelligence is expressed in many forms, through design, craftsmanship, leadership, repair, teaching and service.
What makes apprenticeships particularly powerful is that they work at scale and produce measurable results. Research of California Community Colleges shows that apprentices consistently earn more than their peers and achieve higher pass rates in their courses in almost every field of study while enrolled. And they continue to earn more than their peers two years after completing their programs.
For employers, this means a reliable talent pipeline with strong retention. For students, this means learning skills without going into debt. Learning can change their lives.
An example: a student named Manuel is an apprentice in one of our manufacturing programs. His journey began in a classroom and evolved into a paid role as a computer controlled machine operator at Eibach, Inc., a major American and global manufacturing company. After completing his first apprenticeship, he is now moving into a higher level programming pathway, earning a salary while learning and building his career step by step.
Congress has an opportunity to strengthen and expand this proven workforce strategy. This means sustained investment in apprenticeship programs, stronger incentives for employer participation, and better alignment between workforce and higher education policy to expand “earn and learn” models nationally.
Related: The United States wants more apprenticeships. The UK figured out how to give them coveted roles
Internships and work-based learning are at the heart of Vision 2030the California Community College Roadmap. Education must be linked to economic security, social influence, labor market utility, and student success. In this context, learning is the reference.
The model extends well beyond traditional professions. California is expanding apprenticeships for careers in nursing, teaching, information technology, advanced manufacturing and the public sector. In healthcare, that means helping existing workers quickly acquire skills and move into higher-paying positions. In partnership with unions, this means ensuring that apprenticeships lead to recognized credentials and diplomas, not just short-term training.
Scaling this type of opportunity requires partnerships. California community colleges work closely with employers, labor organizations and community groups to design programs that meet the real needs of the workforce.
Faculty have been deeply engaged in advancing credit for prior learning. They create rigorous processes to recognize the knowledge and skills developed in these learning environments and translate them into appropriate academic credits leading to degrees.
Related: Apprenticeships for high school students are being touted as the next big thing. One state shows the way
A career level electrician should see a path to an associate degree. A manufacturing apprentice should be able to acquire degrees in engineering technology. A healthcare worker should be able to translate their experience into academic progress and career advancement.
All of this is important for adults returning to school, for veterans transitioning to civilian careers, and for communities who want to see opportunities in more places.
Apprenticeships deserve broad support and on a national scale. They are both practical and proven, rooted in work ethic and upward mobility. They strengthen both the economy and the social fabric.
America will build a stronger future if we decide to invest in the people who will build it.
Sonya Christian is the chancellor of California Community Collegesthe largest higher education system in the country.
Contact the opinion editor at opinion@hechingerreport.org.
This story about learning was created by The Hechinger reportan independent, nonprofit news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Register with Hechinger weekly newsletter.
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