Apprenticeships are one of the most successful types of work-based learning and can help revitalize the U.S. workforce by providing access to training and employment opportunities for those without advanced degrees through an “earn and learn” training approach. And apprenticeships in the tech sector are growing. CTA’s Apprenticeship Coalition has helped launch new apprenticeships with companies such as Bosch and Alarm.com. Study results show tech employers recognize the benefit of hiring from such talent pools with 24% of respondents saying they will hire more from train-to-hire programs such as apprenticeships and boot camps.
According to Opportunity@Work, there are 71 million workers who do not have a college degree, but have been skilled through alternative routes. As we recover from the pandemic and consider the tens of millions left unemployed, it will be crucial for the tech industry to continue to hire based on skills. The furloughed hotel front desk worker has the customer service skills to be an IT support specialist. The unemployed bar manager has the leadership skills to be a project manager.
With high demand for these skills, and not enough workers to fill them, the skills gap is still here — despite the pandemic. But if industry leaders continue to hire from diverse workforce pipelines based on skills, not degrees, and provide the relevant training opportunities, the industry can access more talent and be at the forefront of solving our nation’s skills and opportunity gap.
To learn more about future of work trends including apprenticeships, join us at CES 2021.
I3, the flagship magazine from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, focuses on innovation in technology, policy and business as well as the entrepreneurs, industry leaders and startups that grow the consumer technology industry. Subscriptions to i3 are available free to qualified participants in the consumer electronics industry.