In 2016, CareerWise was founded in Colorado to address both the skilled-worker shortage and the unrealistic expectation that our nation’s schools must prepare students for today’s in-demand jobs without the involvement of industry. Youth apprenticeship is strengthening the economy by cultivating a skilled workforce that’s prepared to meet the challenges of the Future of Work, and exponentially expanding the choices available to young people—our future workforce. Today there are hundreds of productive Colorado apprentices in the workplace, contributing to the bottom line of their employers and creating more opportunity for more young people as they chart new paths to career success.

It took a sizable staff, significant financial investment, and a number of years to launch the first CareerWise system in Colorado. But based on CareerWise’s tools, technologies and procedures established in the pilot program, new communities can launch a program for a fraction of the cost in a matter of months.

In fact, that’s how Ascend in Indianapolis developed their youth apprenticeship program, and Horizons Education Alliance in Elkhart, CityWorks in Washington D.C. and CareerWise New York City launched their respective CareerWise affiliate programs.