The U.S. Department of Education has launched a self-paced online learning course to help adult education providers develop new pre-apprenticeship programs, as well as support providers who are refining existing pre-apprenticeships or implementing similar integrated education and training programs. The Creating Adult Pre-Apprenticeships course includes examples and resources that are relevant to a range of adult education providers and industries. Access the virtual course on LINCS.
As part of the course launch, the Department hosted a virtual workshop in September 2021. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from the grand-prize winner and first runner-up of the $750,000 challenge, as well as preview the course.
“Pre-apprenticeship programs play a crucial role in driving greater and more diverse participation in apprenticeships and the broader workforce, and opening up critical pathways into in-demand careers — from construction and manufacturing to healthcare and technology.”
— Travis Combs, Branch Chief for Applied Innovation and Improvement, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education
Winners share learnings from the Rethink Adult Ed Challenge
During the virtual workshop, Northampton Community College and Guam Community College presented their winning designs for pre-apprenticeship programs and answered questions from the audience. The challenge judging panel selected five winners out of 85 finalists from across 31 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia.
“Oftentimes we’ll take our students out on company tours so that they can stand in the middle of a place where they might end up working and get a real sense of what’s the culture, what’s the equipment. [We want to make] sure individuals understand that we care about them, that the employers care about them, and really the ultimate goal for everyone is to see them succeed.”
— Northampton Community College
“We engaged private-sector partners in the pre-apprenticeship bootcamp design. The private-sector partners helped to assist in developing the curriculum for the program. They interviewed applicants, they selected and hired [students who completed the program], and then eventually registered employees for their apprenticeship program.”
— Guam Community College
Stay updated on future prize competitions
The Rethink Adult Ed Challenge is part of a series of prize competitions that aim to spur development of new technology, products, and resources that will prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers. To receive news on future competitions, sign up for the Ed Prizes newsletter and follow Ed Prizes on Twitter.