Enable Other Pathways for Upward Mobility

Higher education does not have a monopoly on putting young people on a pathway to prosperity. Professional certifications that provide job-ready skills in a short period minimize the costs associated with entering the workforce. We must also embrace vocational training. When young people are trained to do the jobs society needs, they’re set up for success. In America, 94% of apprentices have a job upon completion that earns an average starting salary above $70,000 in roles spanning construction, engineering, manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology. But only 3 in every 1,000 workers pursue an apprenticeship. That’s far lower than the rate in comparable economies.

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Apprentices by Country

Per 1,000 in the labor force, 2019

Sources: University of Oxford, Georgetown University.