For students with disabilities, an apprenticeship can be a positive pathway to a career. These job-related educational courses are available in many employment sectors, and typically are a combination of classroom learning and hands-on work. Students can find apprenticeships in community colleges, technical training schools, and through some employers.
An apprenticeship provides students with immediate access to proven mentors. In turn, an apprenticeship brings professionals together with those who want to learn their career. Apprenticeships can offer hands-on learning and working opportunities—a tremendous benefit for some students. For a complete list of nationally approved apprenticeship career options, visit the Apprenticeship USA website.
Apprenticeships can help when working to carve out a job from other responsibilities. Job carving, as defined by Cary Griffin, is “the act of analyzing work duties performed in a given job and identifying specific tasks that might be assigned to an employee with severe disabilities.”
Career technical education centers, community colleges, and technical schools support apprenticeship programs and can help students learn about their career interests. Through an apprenticeship, many students can transition from limited work options to a thriving and fulfilling career.
Resources
A subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship USA is a one-stop source connecting career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources.
OWBLA promotes and supports Registered Apprenticeship, Certified State Earn and Learn (SEAL), and Pre-Apprenticeship programs that are certified for quality and consistency.
PIA collaborates with employers and apprenticeship intermediaries to design inclusive apprenticeship programs that meet employer talent needs and enable people with disabilities to gain credentials and skills to succeed in growing industries.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, the the Career Exploration Program from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery offers students a chance to explore all paths to careers—college, certifications, apprenticeships, licensure programs, and Military.