Roger Moore

Due to a lack of training and education among prospective employees, many businesses often have difficulty finding enough skilled workers to remain competitive in the global economy. This is particularly the case for positions that require moderate to high levels of technical knowledge, which are critical for sustained success in today’s job market.

Successful apprenticeship programs, which have proven valuable for both businesses and students, can help state and local leaders address the skills gap that exists in many industries. For businesses, apprenticeships can nurture student interest in careers related to their industry, potentially increasing the number of applicants in the future and improving employee retention and productivity. They also facilitate robust partnerships with schools, thereby ensuring that education standards include the skills and training necessary to succeed in growing industries. For students, apprenticeships offer the opportunity to apply content learned in the classroom to the workplace, allowing them to explore career options by gaining critical work experience. Apprentices also can interact with mentors who can assist them later when they are seeking career opportunities.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were more than 530,000 active apprentices in 2017 across a wide range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, healthcare, retail and education, among many others.* Since 2014, the number of active apprentices nationally has grown by 30 percent, while the number of apprenticeship programs has increased by nearly 17 percent. During that time, more than 210,000 individuals have completed an apprenticeship program, increasing from 44,417 in 2014 to 64,021 in 2017.

In the SLC region, the number of active apprentices has significantly increased in recent years. Five of the 15 states in the South, including South Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas, Florida and North Carolina, were among the top 10 nationally in active apprentice growth rates between 2014-2017. Meanwhile, West Virginia, Texas, Georgia and Alabama ranked in the top 20 nationally, followed by Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, all of which experienced growth greater than 30 percent.

Since 2014, 10 of the 15 Southern states also have experienced growth in the number of apprenticeship programs, led by South Carolina, with an increase of 108 percent, the highest in the nation. Kentucky was second nationally with growth close to 73 percent, followed by Arkansas and Alabama, both among the top 10 nationally, with growth in apprenticeship programs increasing by approximately 29 percent and 24 percent, respectively. North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri and Mississippi, likewise, experienced growth in the number of apprenticeship programs between 2014-2017.

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* National figures include all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the U.S. Military Apprenticeship Program, which allows active duty service members to complete civilian apprenticeship requirements.

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Active Apprentices 2014-2017

Ranking	State	Active Apprentices 2017	Active Apprentices 2014	Percentage Growth 2014-2017
1	Nebraska	9,580	1,738	451.21
2	South Carolina	17,609	4,485	292.62
3	Missouri	14,274	7,379	93.44
4	Michigan	17,731	9,352	89.60
5	California	62,694	34,901	79.63
6	Iowa	9,393	5,385	74.43
7	Arkansas	5,447	3,129	74.08
8	Florida	12,621	7,395	70.67
9	Indiana	17,323	10,154	70.60
10	North Carolina	6,124	3,636	68.43
11	Nevada	3,985	2,371	68.07
12	Massachusetts	11,154	6,748	65.29
13	Utah	3,923	2,385	64.49
14	Idaho	1,196	748	59.89
15	New Hampshire	2,403	1,522	57.88
16	West Virginia	5,487	3,534	55.26
17	Pennsylvania	16,662	10,821	53.98
18	Texas	17,473	11,364	53.76
19	Georgia	8,109	5,376	50.84
20	Alabama	4,905	3,296	48.82
21	Montana	1,650	1,111	48.51
22	Illinois	15,186	10,380	46.30
23	Hawaii	9,622	6,799	41.52
24	Washington	15,226	10,860	40.20
25	Kentucky	3,384	2,452	38.01
26	New Jersey	7,299	5,322	37.15
27	Oregon	8,808	6,510	35.30
28	Mississippi	2,073	1,560	32.88
29	Tennessee	5,948	4,517	31.68
30	Ohio	18,335	14,015	30.82
31	Vermont	1,165	905	28.73
32	Minnesota	11,618	9,126	27.31
33	Arizona	3,560	2,820	26.24
34	Colorado	5,990	4,771	25.55
35	Alaska	2,380	1,998	19.12
36	Wisconsin	10,700	9,485	12.81
37	South Dakota	715	637	12.24
38	Connecticut	5,665	5,175	9.47
39	Delaware	1,164	1,069	8.89
40	North Dakota	1,088	1,005	8.26
41	Wyoming	409	384	6.51
42	New York	16,980	16,238	4.57
43	Louisiana	3,816	3,762	1.44
44	Virginia	15,429	15,649	-1.41
45	Oklahoma	1,332	1,434	-7.11
46	New Mexico	1,530	1,711	-10.58
47	Maryland	9,090	13,435	-32.34
48	Maine	429	670	-35.97
49	Kansas	1,966	3,394	-42.07
50	Rhode Island	523	1,337	-60.88

Active Apprenticeship Programs 2014-2017

Ranking	State	Active Apprenticeship Programs 2017	Active Apprenticeship Programs 2014	Percentage Growth 2014-2017
1	South Carolina	964	463	108.21
2	Kentucky	204	118	72.88
3	Hawaii	118	81	45.68
4	North Dakota	88	61	44.26
5	Arizona	150	104	44.23
6	Iowa	856	626	36.74
7	New Hampshire	315	237	32.91
8	California	267	203	31.53
9	Arkansas	103	80	28.75
10	Alabama	114	92	23.91
11	Wyoming	88	76	15.79
12	North Carolina	568	491	15.68
13	Indiana	945	829	13.99
14	Texas	418	367	13.90
15	Nebraska	101	89	13.48
16	South Dakota	100	89	12.36
17	Vermont	338	302	11.92
18	Alaska	357	322	10.87
19	Idaho	133	121	9.92
20	Tennessee	348	322	8.07
21	Massachusetts	1,374	1,291	6.43
22	Louisiana	52	49	6.12
23	New York	725	685	5.84
24	Missouri	395	375	5.33
25	Ohio	968	924	4.76
26	Mississippi	96	93	3.23
27	Pennsylvania	761	744	2.28
28	Michigan	998	982	1.63
29	Delaware	313	311	0.64
30	Washington	261	262	-0.38
31	Oklahoma	99	100	-1.00
32	Connecticut	1,480	1,504	-1.60
33	Montana	592	602	-1.66
34	Wisconsin	959	992	-3.33
35	Rhode Island	484	512	-5.47
36	Florida	206	222	-7.21
37	Nevada	80	87	-8.05
38	Kansas	243	277	-12.27
39	Utah	213	243	-12.35
40	Virginia	1,930	2,220	-13.06
41	New Jersey	727	867	-16.15
42	Illinois	431	515	-16.31
43	Colorado	172	215	-20.00
44	Minnesota	194	316	-38.61
45	West Virginia	249	459	-45.75
46	New Mexico	35	66	-46.97
47	Maine	73	193	-62.18
48	Georgia	132	396	-66.67
49	Maryland	133	423	-68.56
50	Oregon	N/A	440	N/A

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration