We Build Capacity, Not Dependency
Sustainable Partnerships built across the nation.
Youth apprenticeship succeeds when local leaders get involved. That’s why CareerWise invests deeply in partnerships with the organizations already embedded in their communities – workforce development boards, nonprofit intermediaries, industry associations, and education collaboratives.
CareerWise has supported more than 80 intermediary partners nationwide, working alongside them to build sustainable apprenticeship programs that serve their communities for the long term.
Our Role
Strategic Consulting
Strategic consulting to help partners define goals, build capacity, and secure funding, followed by convening and coalition-building to align employers, schools, and policymakers around shared outcomes
Implementation Frameworks
Implementation frameworks include program design templates, stakeholder engagement processes, and marketing strategies
Customized Plans
Customized tactical plans delivered through regular check-ins, workshops, and problem-solving support combined with technology platforms (The Hub) to streamline recruitment, tracking, and data management
Who We Partner With
- Workforce development boards
- Nonprofit intermediary organizations
- Industry talent associations (including banking, healthcare, and manufacturing)
- Community-based organizations focused on youth development
- Regional education collaboratives and school districts
Elkhart, Indiana: A Case Study in Statewide Transformation
How Strategic Partnership Built a Thriving Regional Apprenticeship Ecosystem
In Indiana, CareerWise has successfully partnered with nonprofits and education partners, local and county government, and employers and industry associations to expand youth apprenticeship programming across the state.
Turning strategy into record-breaking growth
After six years of year-over-year growth under consulting guidance from CareerWise, Elkhart County facilitated a record number of apprenticeship opportunities and hires–a 150% increase over the previous year.
- CareerWise then worked alongside Horizon Education Alliance and local partners to build employer engagement strategies to bring new businesses into the program and develop sustainable funding models that didn’t rely on one-time grants. The outcome? More apprentices, more employers, and a model that’s replicable across Indiana and beyond.
Mobilizing industry around shared talent needs
Customized tactical plans delivered through regular check-ins, workshops, and problem-solving support combined with technology platforms (The Hub) to streamline recruitment, tracking, and data management.
Beyond convening, CareerWise helped equip three major industry talent associations in the country’s first Talent Association mobilization to support youth apprenticeship programming. These sector-specific partnerships allow employers within the same industry to collaborate on shared competency standards, training curricula, and talent pipelines–reducing risk, lowering costs, and creating scalable pathways for young people.
- Indiana Bankers Association
- BioCrossroads
- Conexus
What Partners Say
- “CareerWise USA has been an essential partner in our journey, helping us grow and expand the youth apprenticeship movement. Their ongoing support includes regular check-ins to refine our strategic plan and address specific needs, valuable marketing materials, and assistance with the technology platform. They consistently listen with care and inspire us to approach our work with thoughtful strategy and purpose. We wouldn’t be where we are today without this invaluable partnership.”
Ready to Build Your Own Apprenticeship Ecosystem?
Whether you’re launching your first apprenticeship cohort or scaling an existing initiative, CareerWise provides the strategic expertise, implementation frameworks, and programmatic tools to help you succeed.
What We Offer
- Strategy and operations consultation to build sustainable, locally owned program
- Leadership capacity-building so your teams can manage and grow the program independently
- Stakeholder engagement processes to align employers, schools, and community partners
- Marketing and communications strategy to recruit students, engage employers, and build public support
- Access to The Hub platform for managing recruitment, training, and data tracking
Programs making an impact
across the country
From Vision to Action: How Pleasanton Unified is Reimagining Career Pathways Through Youth Apprenticeship
Pleasanton Unified School District in California registered the state’s first competency-based youth apprenticeships in cybersecurity and robotics.
PPL’S LEAP Program Turns Creative Exposure into Career-Ready Skills
Project for Pride in Living (PPL), a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, partnered with CareerWise to transform its LEAP program into formalized youth apprenticeships for alternative school students.