Apprenticeship programs are a crucial way to meet New Hampshire’s current and future workforce needs

WORKFORCE

Apprenticeship. The word may conjure up historical images of workers learning a time-tested trade, but this age-old concept has come full circle to become a crucial way to meet New Hampshire’s current and future workforce needs.

Granite State employers are finding that apprenticeships are a great way to attract and retain employees. As the state’s population ages and workers retire, apprenticeships provide a vital bridge to transfer knowledge across generations, creating a new pipeline of skilled workers.

Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) combine formalized, paid, on-the-job learning with technical training, much of it coming from the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH). Through a custom-designed program, apprentices work with an employer mentor to gain knowledge and build relationships that help create a stronger company culture.

In the last 10 years, the number of apprentices in New Hampshire has almost doubled, from 1,573 in 2014 to 3,096 in 2024. While plumbers and electricians are still the top two occupations for new apprentices, new medical assistants, teachers, social and human service assistants, industrial technicians and nursing assistants are growing quickly and now are all among the top 10.

For example, Merchants Fleet uses RAPs to attract and train a new generation of automotive technicians; Concord Hospital meets its need for medical assistants; and Mason + Rich employs a new generation of accounting technicians, to name a few New Hampshire companies now relying on apprenticeships to fill workforce gaps.

RAPs function well in all industries and are great for organizations that offer “stackable” career paths where employees progressively learn skills to advance. For example, an IT firm may bring in an apprentice as a tech support specialist, advance them to network specialist, and then to cybersecurity specialist as they further their training and education.

RAPs are becoming increasingly popular because they work. Apprenticeships help incentivize motivated applicants who are willing to put in the work to get ahead. The employer gains a competitive edge in a tight labor market and the ability to systematically create the skilled labor force it needs, while the apprentice gets a fast track to a career, an education that meets their needs and built-in advancement opportunities. National data shows that 90% of apprentices continue to work for their employer upon completion of the apprenticeship.

Additionally, employers are finding that pre-apprenticeship opportunities with high school students can be an effective way to build a pipeline to RAPs. Pre-apprenticeships are customized programs that provide education and work experience to prepare adults and high school students for entry into a RAP. Pre-apprenticeships can include job shadows, internships, early college courses, WorkReadyNH and programs for English language learners.

Pre-apprenticeships and RAPs are win-wins for employers and job seekers, but some organizations worry about the legwork and financial investment involved in creating a program. ApprenticeshipNH alleviates those concerns by partnering with employers to develop customized programs, guiding businesses and even helping to recruit new apprentices. In partnership with the Office of Apprenticeship, ApprenticeshipNH, which is funded by approximately $12 million in U.S. Department of Labor grants and is a workforce program of CCSNH, connects employers with federal funding that largely offsets the cost of the program, aside from wages paid for on-the-job work.

Registered Apprenticeships open up the doors to opportunity — for employers to build the skilled workforce they need; for young people to stay in New Hampshire and pursue a fulfilling career; for underrepresented populations to gain access to fulfilling careers and help create a more diverse workforce; for current workers to have an on-ramp for career advancement or change; and for organizations to pass knowledge and skills from soon-to-retire workers to those entering the field.

No longer for just the trades, registered apprenticeships are a proven way to build a workforce for many New Hampshire companies faced with the challenge of recruiting and retaining employees in a tight labor market. For more information about starting a program at your workplace, please visit ApprenticeshipNH.com.

Anne Banks is apprenticeship programs manager at the Community College System of New Hampshire.