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Data Illustrates the Growing Popularity of Apprenticeships in the US

July 5, 2022 John Downen

A young, black man wearing safety goggles uses a piece of equipment to cut pieces of metal while an older, white man wearing safety goggles provides instructions as part of a paid apprenticeshipThanks to the high cost of college tuition and the resulting burden of student debt, the popularity of apprenticeships and other alternative pathways to good-paying jobs has been growing steadily in the United States over the past decade.

Vocational programs like career and technical education (CTE), stackable credentials, and apprenticeships can all help get people into well-paying, skilled jobs more quickly. Industries and occupations that offer apprenticeships pay you while you develop in-demand skills and then offer you a job at the end — adding to their appeal.

Detailed data on registered apprenticeship programs in 48 states and US territories is available from the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The downloadable data files consist of “de-identified” individual apprentice records and detailed program information going back to 2000. Variables include:

  • Apprentice information: age at start, gender, race, ethnicity, disabled status, veteran status, education, starting date and wage, and exit date and wage
  • Apprenticeship occupation: title, SOC code, and type (competency-based, time-based, hybrid)
  • Program information: program name, address, city, county, state, Zip code, status, industry (NAICS and SIC codes), organization type, length, number of active apprentices, and age or educational requirements
  • Employer information: name, address, city, state, Zip code, and industry (NAICS code)

In federal fiscal year (FY) 2021 (October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021) there were almost 27,000 active registered apprenticeship programs in the US and its territories training over 593,000 apprentices. Nearly 3,000 (2,879) new programs were established in FY 2021 alone.

While over 80% of active programs were administered by employers, the number of active apprentices was roughly evenly split between employer-only programs (53%) and joint programs between an employer and a labor organization (47%).

What is the Data Telling Us?

The number of active apprentices has been on the rise since FY 2011, reaching a high of 636,515 in FY 2020 before dipping by almost 7% to 593,690 in FY 2021 due to the pandemic.

Since FY 2014, the number of apprentices completing their training each year has grown 118%, from 44,417 to 96,915 in FY 2021.

Column Chart Title: Active Apprentices and Completers, Fiscal Year 2008-Fiscal Year 2021 A column chart shows the number of active apprentices between 2008 and 2021 has varied from year to year, with a drop in numbers in 2011 followed by steady growth until 2021, when it drops again. The numbers are not specific for each year but range from a low of about 450,000 in 2008 to a high of about 625,000 in 2020. On top of the columns is a separate line graph showing the number of people who completed the apprenticeships during those same years. It indicates that fewer people complete apprenticeships than start them every year, with a big drop in completers in 2014 and 2016 and a big increase in 2021. The numbers are not specific for each year, but range from a low of about 50,000 in 2014 to a high of about 90,000 in 2021. Data Source: US Department of Labor

States with the highest concentrations of active apprentices per 1,000 working-age population (age 16+) include:

  • District of Columbia: 11.1 apprentices per 1,000 working-age population
  • Hawaii: 6.4
  • Indiana and Vermont: both 3.5

Minority groups are generally over-represented in apprenticeships, relative to their share of the total population. As the next table shows, while the number of apprentices who are Asian or African American are below their shares of the total population, the number of apprentices who are American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, and multiple races are greater than their shares of the population. Whites are underrepresented in apprenticeships by about 15 percentage points.

Table Title: Race of Active Apprentices, Fiscal Year 2021 American Indian or Alaska Native Share of Apprentices: 1.2% Share of Population: 1.1% Asian Share of Apprentices: 1.5% Share of Population: 6.0% Black or African American Share of Apprentices: 7.6% Share of Population: 12.4% Multiple Races Selected Share of Apprentices: 23.7% Share of Population: 10.2% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Share of Apprentices: 1.0% Share of Population: 0.2% White Share of Apprentices: 45.9% Share of Population: 61.6% Participant Did Not Self-Identify Share of Apprentices: 19.1% Note: Apprenticeship shares are for Fiscal Year 2021 and population shares are for 2016-2020. Data Source: US Department of Labor, US Census Bureau 2016-2020 5-Year ACS

Construction is the largest industry for apprenticeships, with nearly 200,000 active apprentices in FY 2021 accounting for about one-third of the total.

The next largest sectors were:

  • Public Administration (federal, state, and local government entities) with over 135,000 active apprentices
  • Educational Services with 67,202 apprentices
  • Manufacturing with 23,720 apprentices

Comparing apprenticeships with total jobs in each industry reveals that while Construction still has the highest representation with 26.6 active apprentices per 1,000 jobs, Utilities and Educational Services are not far behind at 24.9 and 23.8, respectively.

Column Chart Title: Top 10 Apprenticeship Industries in Fiscal Year 2021 The chart does not show specific numbers for each industry, but indicates the following ranking, from most apprenticeships to least: 1. Construction 2. Public Administration 3. Educational Services 4. Manufacturing 5. Other Services 6. Health Care and Social Assistance 7. Utilities 8. Transportation and Warehousing 9. Administration, Support, Waste Management, and Remediation 10. Accommodation and Food Services Data Source: US Department of Labor

Given the Construction industry’s role in providing apprenticeships, it’s not surprising that the top five apprenticeship occupations are in the building trades. By far, most active apprentices in FY 2021 were learning to become Electricians (71,812). These were followed by Carpenters (29,800), Plumbers (21,971), Sprinkler Fitters (17,595), and Construction Craft Laborers (15,009). Together, these five occupations accounted for about one-quarter of all active apprentices.

Column Chart Title: Top 20 Apprenticeship Occupations in Fiscal Year 2021 1. Electrician 2. Carpenter 3. Plumber 4. Sprinkler Fitter 5. Construction Craft Laborer 6. Truck Driver, Heavy 7. Sheet Metal Worker 8. Lineman 9. Structural Steel Worker 10. HVAC Maintenance and Installer 11. Millwright 12. Elevator Constructor 13. Drywall Applicator Specialist 14. Roofer 15. Certified Nurse Assistant 16. Operating Engineer 17. Line Erector 18. Telecommunications Technician 19. Painter 20. Corrections Officer Data Source: US Department of Labor

Why is it Important?

For those who cannot afford a traditional four-year college degree and do not wish to burden themselves with student loans, apprenticeships represent an alternative route to living-wage jobs.

Apprenticeships are also well aligned with the needs of employers for skilled workers, offering relevant programs with a nearly guaranteed job upon completion.

As economic developers grapple with providing opportunities for their residents and a skilled workforce for employers, familiarity with available apprenticeship programs can help to fill the gaps.

 

Are you in need of a targeted, data-driven industry or workforce development strategy? Camoin Associates is a national leader in research and data analysis. Our analysts continually develop new techniques to mine through data to better understand the issues keeping business leaders up at night and the opportunities that are emerging.

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