States are facing a skills gap, whereby not enough workers are adequately trained for available jobs. In order to meet this demand, many states are establishing statewide postsecondary attainment goals for the number of people with postsecondary credentials.
In order to train enough workers to meet anticipated middle-skill demand, states must pass equitable policies that help a variety of residents, particularly those with barriers to employment, receive training for in-demand careers.
Considering the significant federal investment in apprenticeships, states should take care to effectively align how they are spending this funding with their broader workforce and education goals. One way to do this is to collect data that allows them to count registered apprenticeship certificates within their postsecondary attainment goals, thereby showing how registered apprenticeships can help narrow the skills gap.
