Pennsylvania has added more than 66 new apprenticeship programs in the past two years, since Gov. Josh Shapiro took office and his administration prioritized economic development and workforce development. The state now has nearly 1,700 occupation-specific registered apprenticeship programs, with nearly 16,000 apprentices enrolled. 
How to further expand those opportunities was the focus of the two-day ApprenticeshipPA Collaborative and Expo held during National Apprenticeship Week Nov. 18-19 in the Lehigh Valley, which is a leader in developing apprenticeship and workforce programs. Initiatives include the Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley, a partnership of industry, education, government, and community organizations to promote careers in advanced manufacturing.
Nancy Walker, Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry, participated in the event and delivered opening remarks to about 300 employers, workforce development organizations, economic developers, educators, and other stakeholders.
“Apprenticeship programs are open for everyone. They change the lives of people who participate. They change the families associated with those apprentices. And if we do our jobs right, we change communities in the process,” Walker said.
She sat down with Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) to discuss how apprenticeships play a central role in workforce development, and how Pennsylvania’s apprenticeship programs are growing.
How is Gov. Shapiro’s administration expanding apprenticeship opportunities in Pennsylvania?
Often, we thought of apprenticeship programs as building construction trades. And so, what the Governor has really asked us all to do is to take a careful look at other opportunities where apprenticeship programs may be able to meet the needs of businesses. Over the last year and a half, we've started some really interesting programs. There's a dairy herd apprenticeship program. We have an organics apprenticeship program, nursing, we have apprenticeship programs for just about every sector.
How do apprenticeships support the workforce needs of employers?
What's so great about apprenticeship programs, it gives employers the opportunity to really customize what everybody's learning. You're literally creating a pipeline of trained and qualified people to do exactly what you need them to do today, and even looking forward, however you’re expanding your business, whatever you're thinking for the future, really gives you a way to get people trained into positions that are necessary.
What is the value of apprenticeships compared to other training opportunities?
Apprentices are able to earn while they learn, which is great on-the-job training, with wages and benefits and learning a career and not just getting a job. We have so many jobs out there right now, and it's hard to fill them, but an apprenticeship program really gives young people, and not so young people, the opportunity to learn slowly over time, on-the-job-training and get paid while they do it. They're not having to leave the workforce, because a lot of people can't do that to pay for training.
How do apprenticeships support Gov. Shapiro’s new economic development strategy for Pennsylvania?
The governor's strategic plan is focused on some key areas where he really wants to see economic development. We've really looked at ways that we can increase opportunities in agriculture. Just a few months ago, we announced an organic apprenticeship program that we're doing through Rodale Institute. It's getting people into the pipeline to learn how to be able to certify farms and work with farms to get them to be organic. [The goal is] to just sort of look at ways that we can support sectors, but also businesses within the sectors.
How can employers start an apprenticeship program?
Our Apprenticeship and Training Office at Labor & Industry works closely with employers that are interested in setting up an apprenticeship program to sort of help them put that together and work its way through the process. Reach out to our Apprenticeship and Training Office and get more information. We will have somebody spend whatever time that's needed to educate them about opportunities in apprenticeships and to talk about how to get started with the program.
(The Q&A was lightly edited for clarity and length. Photos courtesy of PA Cast and PA Department of Labor & Industry)