Kansas doesn’t do things halfway. It’s in their state motto – Ad astra per aspera – To the Stars Through Difficulties. Over the past eight years, the state has attracted more than 1,700 economic development projects, drawn $33 billion in private investment, and created or retained nearly 86,000 jobs. The Kansas City Chiefs are relocating from Missouri to Kansas. Major employers are expanding. And the state’s single biggest constraint on that growth isn’t capital or land — it’s talent.

That urgency is exactly why Kansas was selected as one of ten states in the Apprenticeship America cohort of the federally funded Future Ready Apprenticeship Center. The urgency is also why Kansas has set a vision to grow to 10,001 Apprentices by 2031.  And it’s why the state has built one of the most policy-forward, cross-agency registered apprenticeship infrastructures in the country.

“Kansas has done something that’s genuinely hard: built real alignment between government, employers, and education — and then actually used it to grow,” said Ryan Gensler, Executive Vice President at CareerWise. “The Apprenticeship America cohort gives Kansas the targeted technical assistance to convert that alignment into durable youth pathways at scale. The infrastructure is there. Now it’s about filling it with young people.”

From Zero to Hundreds — Fast

When the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship (KOA) was established, the state had very little registered apprenticeship participation among 16–17-year-olds. In just a few years, that has changed dramatically. Kansas has grown to several hundred youth now engaged in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities — a 241% increase in apprentices overall, supported by more than $30 million in combined state, federal, and philanthropic investment.

That growth didn’t happen by accident. It was carefully architected by key partners. In 2023, KOA partnered with the Kansas Board of Regents and the Technical Education Authority to establish automatic approval pathways for postsecondary credentials tied to employer-led registered apprenticeship programs — removing a significant administrative barrier and making it far easier for colleges and employers to work together. In 2025, the state partnered with the National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree to help institutions move from awareness to implementation-ready planning. Institutions like WSU Tech, Butler Community College, and Fort Hays Tech North Central are already demonstrating what that coordination looks like in practice.

The state has also taken creative steps through legislative action. SB 91 clarified employer liability in work-based learning. The Kansas Department of Administration issued guidance on designing apprenticeship programs within state agencies — positioning state government itself as a model employer. And KOA secured and distributed a letter from the Kansas Insurance Commission affirming the legality of employing 16–18-year-olds through registered apprenticeship programs, directly tackling one of the most persistent misconceptions that keeps employers on the sidelines.

What Makes Kansas Distinctive

The Kansas Board of Regents, the Department of Education, and the Office of Registered Apprenticeship are working as a single unit to turn work experience into college degrees. Their shared mission is to make apprenticeships a standard, respected path to a career, rather than just an alternative to college. To make this work, the state has simplified and streamlined systems within their control:

• • Automatic Credit: They’ve created a “fast-track” for college credit, ensuring that if an apprenticeship meets state standards, the college credits are approved automatically.
  • Fixing the System: They are working towards combined state Workforce and Perkins plans to update school schedules so high schoolers and college students can easily balance work and study.
  • Data Collection & Assessment: By linking apprenticeship records with actual state wage data, they are working toward tracking exactly how much money completers are making. This ensures they can actively manage program integrity and quality..

Employers are showing up too. Textron Aviation is actively recruiting youth apprentices in Wichita. Crossland Construction is building toward its first youth registered apprenticeship program. American Implement is participating from Garden City. The Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers started the state’s first teacher apprenticeship — a “grow your own” model that addresses educator shortages while proving the concept in new sectors.

The Work Ahead

Kansas is candid about where it still needs to grow. Dedicated funding specifically for youth apprenticeship pathways remains limited — most resources sustain infrastructure and adult programs. Rural access remains a challenge, with opportunities still concentrated in certain regions and industries. And while the system architecture is strong, implementation at the local level still depends too heavily on individual champions rather than institutionalized practice.

The state’s vision for the next three to five years is to move from promising pilots to a statewide system — expanding through pre-apprenticeships, high school bridge programs, and direct entry pathways in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, education, IT, and skilled trades, with intentional focus on reaching learners in rural communities.

Shonda Anderson, Director of the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship, put it simply: “Kansas is the land where nothing is impossible, because we just go to work and we make it happen.  We keep beating expectations and have set a high bar for us to hit 10,001 apprentices by 2031, which includes  expanding registered apprenticeship opportunities for young people. As we work to attract and retain the highly skilled talent our growing economy demands, securing Apprenticeship America funding will accelerate that progress and help us fully realize the impact of these efforts.”

What’s Next

As part of the Apprenticeship America cohort, Kansas will work alongside CareerWise and national partners to deepen system alignment, expand employer engagement in rural communities, and build the sustainable youth pathways that its rapidly growing economy demands. The state has momentum. Now it’s time to hit the accelerator.

Learn more about the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center and the Apprenticeship America cohort in our press release.