A Framework for High School Apprenticeships in Oklahoma

In this article, Oklahoma CareerTech’s Tonja Norwood presents a framework for developing high school apprenticeships in Oklahoma.

Researchers have found that in-depth and sustained work-based learning for high school students produces stronger benefits than introductory and short-term work experiences. It is not surprising then that demand for in-depth work-based learning is considerable in our state. However, it has been increasingly difficult for the state’s career and technical education system (CareerTech) to keep pace with growing demand for in-depth work-based learning because of the capital investment that is typically required to provide in-depth work experiences at CareerTech sites. For example, launching a new machining or pre-engineering program may require a multi-million-dollar investment to purchase the equipment and shop infrastructure needed to deliver a quality program.

By relying on employer-based infrastructure, high school apprenticeships offer an important way to meet the demand for substantive work-based learning while reducing costly capital investments. A high school apprenticeship is paid, employer-led work that is done with a job-site mentor guiding an apprentice toward licensure in a particular field. An additional benefit is that apprenticeships enable high school students to earn a paycheck for the work they do.

Even though high school apprenticeships offer many potential benefits, complex barriers have prevented the development of a strong, statewide apprenticeship system in Oklahoma. By putting a robust ecosystem in place, these barriers can be overcome, allowing high school apprenticeship opportunities to flourish statewide.

In this article, I argue that several specific measures should be adopted to build an apprenticeship ecosystem in Oklahoma. Key actions include the following: using a statewide authorizer for apprenticeships, developing industry-led apprenticeship consortia, placing apprenticeship coordinators in communities around the state, holding state liability insurance for employers, and providing start-up funds for apprentices who need it.

Understanding Apprenticeship Models

For high school students, apprenticeships typically begin at the start of their junior year of high school when they are at least 16 years of age. This initial phase of the apprenticeship, sometimes called a pre-apprenticeship, normally includes a minimum of 600 hours of paid work experience and 90 hours of related instruction. During a student’s senior year, he or she may transition into a full apprenticeship, building advanced skills aligned to industry standards for licensure.

Interest in high school apprenticeships has grown around the country, reflecting a broader national shift toward providing a greater number of early work-based learning opportunities. In several European countries, such as Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, high school apprenticeships have long been rooted in “dual system” models where students can begin apprenticeship pathways during high school. These systems are called “dual” because students both study at a school site and participate in on-the-job learning. For more than a century, these countries have sustained large-scale apprenticeship systems through partnerships among government, employers, vocational schools, and intermediary bodies, including chambers of commerce and labor organizations. After completing compulsory lower-secondary schooling at about age 15 or 16, a student can enter an upper-secondary apprenticeship pathway that combines paid workplace training with part-time vocational schooling and eventually culminates with the student earning a nationally recognized vocational credential.

Barriers to High School Apprenticeships in the United States

In the United States, where high school apprenticeships are less common, many of our employers are experiencing critical labor shortages in skilled occupations while high school students are simultaneously seeking experience in these very same areas. Although many states, like Oklahoma, offer a range of vocational and technical education programs, apprenticeship opportunities for high school students are limited by the following barriers:

1. Quality Control. Sometimes it is unclear what qualifies as a strong high school apprenticeship, and this lack of clarity creates confusion for high schools, students, and employers. Part of the problem is that the scope and content of apprenticeship programs may need to vary, as different occupations require different types of training experiences. A systematic approach that delineates differentiated criteria across various occupations has been lacking in Oklahoma.

2. Liability Concerns. In many cases, employers are willing to hire and pay student apprentices, but uncertainty around liability and risk exposure creates a significant deterrent to employer participation, especially at the high school level.

3. Federal Red Tape. One of the sources for oversight of high school apprenticeships is the Department of Labor, which sets national standards, approves new programs, and regulates federally registered apprenticeships. Although federal funds are often available to support federally registered apprenticeship programs, the administrative requirements and paperwork associated with federally registered apprenticeships are onerous, producing bureaucratic burdens that discourage employer participation.

4. Lack of Connections between High Schools and Employers. Many European countries have long-established systems that facilitate apprenticeships between educational institutions and employers, but such formalized partnerships are lacking in the United States. As a result, it has been difficult to match interested apprentices with interested employers at scale.

5. Upfront Costs for Apprentices. Some students report not having money for transportation, supplies, and basic equipment before receiving their first paycheck. Such upfront costs can reduce apprenticeship opportunities for those who might benefit most from them.

An Ecosystem for High School Apprenticeships

The barriers inhibiting apprenticeships underscore a need for a coordinated ecosystem that is capable of overcoming obstacles as they arise. Without a well-integrated system in place, high school apprenticeships will remain difficult to bring to scale in Oklahoma. Importantly, such a system does not require a massive infusion of capital. Instead, it requires a great deal of coordination.

Authorizing State-Approved Apprenticeships

Some states offer federally registered apprenticeships, but as noted, this approach can limit flexibility as rigid rules must be followed for an apprenticeship to be considered federally registered. An alternative strategy is to use a state-based authorizer that can tailor apprenticeships based on local needs. In Oklahoma, CareerTech is well situated to serve as an approving body. CareerTech has already kickstarted the process, having established a statewide Apprenticeship Advisory Committee to steer apprenticeship authorization. This committee brings together education, industry, and workforce partners to make certain that work-based learning is informed by practitioner expertise, aligned with workforce demand, and implemented consistently.

As a state authorizer, CareerTech can be responsible for the approval, oversight, and quality control for the state’s high school apprenticeships, forgoing red tape associated with federally registered apprenticeships. State oversight of this nature ensures consistency while also permitting the flexibility needed to meet industry-specific needs for licensure. A state-led approach to authorization can ultimately reduce administrative burdens, increase employer participation, and align training with Oklahoma’s workforce needs.

Ensuring Quality and Relevance through Employer-Led Consortia

Well-functioning partnerships with employers is another essential ingredient to offering apprenticeships statewide. Alongside educators, employers must be co-designers of apprenticeship training. One promising strategy for developing apprenticeships is the use of employer-led consortia organized by industry sector and region. In Wisconsin, for example, regional youth-apprenticeship consortia recruit employers and student apprentices, align related instruction with employer needs, and provide technical assistance to participating businesses.

Embedded in communities statewide, our state’s CareerTech system is situated to facilitate a similar strategy. This collaborative model would reduce the burden on individual employers or schools while ensuring programs remain aligned with workforce requirements for licensure and changing employer needs.

Connecting Students, Schools, and Employers through Locally-Embedded Apprenticeship Coordinators

In Wisconsin, the state has expanded apprenticeships over time and now reports over 11,000 youth apprenticeships. One of the cornerstones of Wisconsin’s strategy is the use of apprenticeship coordinators who work with students, families, schools, and industry to facilitate quality apprenticeships.

Oklahoma’s CareerTech system has long-standing relationships with schools and industry that make it a natural intermediary to coordinate high school apprenticeships. Through full-time apprenticeship coordinators housed within the CareerTech system, apprenticeship coordinators can serve as the connective tissue among key stakeholders. These coordinators can proactively engage local employers, recruit apprenticeship partners, and develop placement opportunities aligned to high-demand industries. At the same time, coordinators work closely with high schools and families to identify interested students, ensure readiness, and guide them into appropriate workforce pathways.

Local coordinators can also play a critical role in implementation. They not only match students to employers but also facilitate onboarding and ensure that workplace experiences are structured well. Finally, apprenticeship coordinators can monitor progress, troubleshoot barriers for youth (e.g., scheduling or transportation), and help students successfully transition from school into full-time employment. By institutionalizing this function through Career-Tech-based coordinators, Oklahoma can unleash a scalable approach that expands access to high-quality apprenticeship opportunities.

Increasing Employer Confidence with State Liability Insurance and Indemnification Requirements

One of the most common employer-reported barriers to offering apprenticeships is employer concerns about liability when hosting a high school apprentice. To address employers’ liability concerns, families, students, schools, and employers can enter into a shared indemnification agreement that establishes clear legal guardrails. This type of agreement is necessary to protect employers from undue legal and financial risk while maintaining accountability in cases of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or legal violations. In addition, CareerTech carries liability coverage for students participating in approved apprenticeships, removing a major barrier to employer participation and enabling programs to scale responsibly.

Generating Start-Up Funds for Apprentices with Oklahoma’s Economic Incentive Grant Opportunities

Upfront costs can deter students from pursuing apprenticeship opportunities, particularly among students of low-income backgrounds. Oklahoma can address these startup barriers by leveraging Economic Incentive Grant Opportunity (EIGO) tax credits. Under this approach, apprenticeship coordinators can facilitate tax credits with hosting employers that can then flow to students to cover start-up costs, including tools, equipment, transportation, uniforms, and other work-related expenses. By reducing these financial barriers, this approach ensures that participation in quality apprenticeship opportunities is not limited by a student’s ability to pay for upfront costs.

Conclusion

Schools often struggle to find employers for students, while employers struggle to find graduates with relevant skills. Apprenticeships directly address this mismatch as employers train their own talent while schools can partner with industry to offer their students valuable, paid training in high demand jobs. This model is already established in several European countries, where apprenticeships are considered to be a critical part of workforce systems and have arguably led to stronger school-to-work transitions. In the United States, high school apprenticeships have expanded in states like Wisconsin, Colorado, and North Carolina. It is time for Oklahoma to offer these opportunities in our state.

Oklahoma can develop high-quality high school apprenticeships. With its CareerTech system working alongside our high schools and industry partners, we can build an ecosystem that works. When implemented thoughtfully, apprenticeships can transform how Oklahoma prepares its future workforce.

Author Bio

Tonja Norwood is Work-based Learning Liaison for the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.