Innovative Apprenticeship and Internship Models in the IT Sector in the United States

This paper recounts three examples of innovative public-private partnerships in the Information Technology sector in the United States that help disadvantaged young people stay in secondary school and make the transition to good jobs. These programmes provide practical training as well as equip young people with critical core skills and a better understanding of the world of work that improves their chances for success in the labour market.

The evidence and lessons drawn from these case studies provide both motivation and practical recommendations for partnerships between employers, schools and communities to improve young people’s access to workplace learning, internships and apprenticeships. These lessons may be particularly relevant to other sectors and other countries which do not have well-established apprenticeship systems but which are building up dual training systems that combine classroom and workplace learning. These examples expand the compelling business case for employers’ initiatives to scale up apprenticeship-like programmes – to meet their own needs for a pipeline of work-ready, qualified workers and to be part of the solution to the youth unemployment crisis.