Bethlehem, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker today marked the beginning of National Apprenticeship Week by highlighting the growing number of earn-as-you-learn opportunities for hardworking Pennsylvanians to access economic opportunity. At the ApprenticeshipPA Collaborative and Expo hosted by the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association in partnership with the Pennsylvania Association of Career & Technical Administrators, Secretary Walker joined stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to discuss the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to supporting workforce development and expanding apprenticeship opportunities statewide.
“I am proud to recognize the vital role apprenticeships play in developing Pennsylvania’s workforce,” Secretary Walker said. “Apprenticeships provide Pennsylvanians a direct path to good-paying, high-quality jobs and bridge the gap between classroom learning and meaningful careers. As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we remain dedicated to creating opportunities for every Pennsylvanian to build the skills they need to succeed. Our goal is to make Pennsylvania a leader in workforce development by connecting more people to career pathways that support our communities and economy.”
Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has prioritized creating opportunities for Pennsylvanians to secure good-paying jobs by supporting skills-based hiring and valuing every career path, whether it requires a college degree or not. In July, Governor Shapiro signed the bipartisan 2024-25 budget, which increased funding for vocational-technical and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs by $30 million over last year and invested $2 million for the first time in nursing apprenticeship programs to address critical nursing shortages statewide.
Across Governor Shapiro’s first two budgets, the Administration has committed an additional $61 million to workforce development initiatives statewide, including apprenticeships, CTE, and vocational-technical programs.
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that, on average, apprentices earn a starting wage of $80,000 per year after graduation and are on track to earn $300,000 more over their careers compared to workers who do not graduate from an apprenticeship program. For every dollar spent on apprenticeships, employers get an average of $1.47 back in increased productivity.
Established in 2016, the Apprenticeship and Training Office (ATO) at L&I currently supports 881 unduplicated registered apprenticeship program sponsors and 1,683 occupation-specific programs across the Commonwealth, with 15,768 active registered apprentices. Additionally, there are 122 registered pre-apprenticeship programs and 1,032 pre-apprentices currently active.
The Shapiro Administration has approved more than 66 new apprenticeships and enrolled nearly 11,000 new apprentices since Governor Shapiro took office.
The PA Workforce Development Association brings together all 22 Pennsylvania local workforce development boards, program service providers, education and training partners, and local leaders each year to discuss apprenticeship programs and how to create a talent pipeline that supports workforce development across the Commonwealth.
"We're proud to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week by bringing together educators, workforce development professionals, and apprenticeship experts to share strategies to expand and improve apprenticeships and earn-as-you learn models," said Carrie Amann, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association. "Pennsylvania has a strong, collaborative approach to workforce development and training and a proven apprenticeship approach. We want to build on our strength and make sure that Pennsylvania has the strongest workforce system in the country."
For more information on the Department of Labor & Industry’s apprenticeship training programs, visit here or follow L&I on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
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