The Education and Apprenticeship Accelerator is a pioneering partnership of states and industries that addresses the critical need for strong, unified policy on American career education and apprenticeship.
There is a growing gap between education and industry, which leads to missed opportunities for workforce development. At the same time, students need experiences to navigate and thrive in career pathways vital for American economic growth.
This coalition brings together state and national partners, policymakers, education leaders, employers, and labor and community organizations to build a strong system that expands career and technical education and ensures that more high school students are able to access transformative apprenticeships in critical industries.
Here’s what some of our partners have to say about why they joined the Education and Apprenticeship Accelerator:
“This initiative will help states like ours go further, faster—scaling apprenticeships through smart policy, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to opportunity. I encourage fellow governors and industry leaders to join us in this national movement to ensure every student has a pathway to success.”
“At IUPAT, we've seen firsthand the transformative power of finally bringing Career Technical Education (CTE) and Registered Apprenticeship together. For decades, these two systems ran on parallel tracks, but breaking down those long-standing barriers isn't just an education reform—it's a revolution in how we build careers.”
“To nurture opportunity in America’s public schools, we must create multiple educational and economic pathways that our young people are interested in and engaged by. The skilled workforce of tomorrow starts with public schools, particularly high schools that are safe, welcoming and chock full of relevant coursework and programs.”
“We’re not just launching an initiative—we’re building a movement. And there’s room at the table. We invite more state and industry leaders to join us in shaping a modern, inclusive workforce by investing in the next generation through apprenticeship.”
– Noel Ginsburg, Founder and CEO of CareerWise
Our vision is to build a community committed to strengthening career education and youth apprenticeship – and we welcome all state, local, and industry leaders to take part. To begin the process of becoming a member, please fill out our commitment form.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how you can get involved, please contact Conor Freeley at conor.freeley@careerwiseusa.org or Beth Antunez at bantunez@aft.org.
Colorado
California
North Carolina
Massachusetts
Maine
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Apollo Global Management
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)
Microsoft
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Ohio Excels
TradesFutures
North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU)
International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
Colorado Succeeds
North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE)
Young People’s Alliance