Two Years In: Building the Talent Pipeline Through Apprenticeship

During National Apprenticeship Week, I’m joining industry and workforce leaders at the U.S. Department of Labor to discuss a reality that is now backed by both data and experience: apprenticeship is no longer optional. It is essential. 

Across electronics manufacturing and increasingly across sectors like telecommunications, healthcare technology, and construction, the challenge is the same. Employers are struggling to find enough qualified workers to fill critical technical and production roles. This is not a temporary gap; it is a structural one driven by rapid technological change, an aging workforce, and increased demand for advanced manufacturing capabilities. 

At the same time, the U.S. apprenticeship system is gaining momentum. There are now roughly 680,000 active apprentices nationwide and more than 27,000 registered programs across industries. Completion rates continue to rise, and 90% of apprentices retain employment after finishing their programs. Yet manufacturing, including electronics, still lags behind other sectors in participation even as demand for skilled talent accelerates. 

That gap is exactly why our work began. 

Just over two years ago, the Global Electronics Association became the first organization in the U.S. electronics manufacturing industry to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Labor for National Program Standards of Apprenticeship. That milestone established a nationally recognized, industry-led framework for training electronics workers—creating consistency in skill development and credentialing where it had not previously existed at scale. 

Since then, the program has moved quickly from concept to implementation and early expansion. What began as a targeted effort to address workforce shortages has grown into a scalable model being adopted by employers across the industry. Participating companies are not only onboarding new talent but also using apprenticeships to upskill incumbent workers, an increasingly important strategy as technologies evolve. 

The driver was clear from the start: employers needed a more reliable way to build talent pipelines, not just compete for them. Registered Apprenticeship provides that structure by enabling companies to develop talent internally while aligning with industry-recognized standards and portable credentials. It shifts workforce development from a reactive approach to a proactive, long-term strategy. 

Apprenticeship is reshaping the talent pipeline itself. It creates accessible, earn-and-learn pathways into high-quality careers for new entrants, while also enabling experienced workers to advance into more technical and leadership roles. In an industry where precision, quality, and consistency are critical, this dual impact is especially valuable. 

Most importantly, it delivers measurable results. Employers participating in our programs consistently report improved productivity, lower error rates, and stronger retention among apprenticeship-trained workers. In several cases, early adopters expanded their programs within the first year. This is an indicator not only of workforce success, but of clear business return. Nationally, studies have shown that employers can see an average return of $1.40 or more for every dollar invested in apprenticeship, reinforcing what we see firsthand in electronics manufacturing. 

Over the past two years, the Global Electronics Association has secured more than $1 million in workforce funding specifically to reduce the financial barriers associated with launching and sustaining Registered Apprenticeship programs. These funds have been deployed to offset key cost components, including related technical instruction (RTI) and on-the-job training (OJT), making apprenticeship a far more accessible and practical solution for employers of all sizes. 

As a result, every employer currently participating in our apprenticeship program has benefited from some form of financial support. This has not only accelerated adoption but has also allowed employers to focus on program quality and outcomes rather than cost constraints. In many cases, funding has served as the catalyst that moved apprenticeship from a “good idea” to an actionable workforce strategy.  

There are still challenges to address, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses and for employers operating across multiple states but the momentum is clear. Collaboration between industry, government, and education partners is accelerating adoption and expanding access to apprenticeship opportunities. 

Two years in, the conclusion is straightforward: apprenticeship works. The question now is not whether to invest in it, but how quickly we can scale it to meet the needs of a modern, high-tech manufacturing workforce. 

For the electronics industry, that effort will directly shape our competitiveness, our capacity for innovation, and our long-term sustainability. When industry leads, apprenticeship delivers—and we are just getting started.