The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week as the number of residents participating in apprenticeships continues an upward trend.
Missouri is one of the best states in the nation for Registered Apprenticeships, ranking third for new apprentices and fourth for completed apprenticeships.
Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation recognizing the impact apprenticeships have on the state’s residents and workforce.
“The State of Missouri has modernized, reimagined, and sustained the ‘earn while you learn’ apprenticeship model as a foundation of readiness for Missouri's future with the goal of offering in-demand apprenticeship programs, opportunities, and growing active apprentices,” Parson said in his proclamation. “Missourians can access new skills and training for the future of work through in-demand skills to build a resilient workforce.”
Missouri is commemorating National Apprenticeship Week, which runs Nov. 14-20, with its Apprenticeship Summit Nov. 14-15 in Independence.
MDHEWD and the Office of Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning (OAWBL) continue to prioritize access to Registered Apprenticeship programs, as well as expanding current programs, and launching new partnerships. In FY 2022, Missouri had 16,983 active apprentices, an increase of more than 2,400 from the previous year.
Missouri also had 10,774 newly registered apprentices in FY 2022, reaching its goal to serve 20,000 new registered apprentices by 2025. Not only did Missouri reach the goal established in 2019, but the state hit the milestone three years early. Electrician, correction officer, sheet metal worker, and plumber are among the top occupations apprentices are participating in.
There are more opportunities for Missouri’s youth to receive hands-on learning and join the state’s workforce, with the number of Registered Youth Apprenticeship programs nearly doubling to 48 from FY 2021 to FY 2022.
To learn more about apprenticeship opportunities in Missouri, visit dhewd.mo.gov/apprenticeship_missouri.php and moapprenticeconnect.com.