After School Matters, provides thousands of apprenticeships and internships to Chicago high school students exposing them to career paths and making them more likely to graduate and pass their classes.

In the the Nuxalk Nation, the deep seated effects of colonialism were felt, literally. The Nation had a housing crisis, that was exacerbated by outside contractors and architects who built subar housing. In 2015, community leaders created an apprenticeship program that matched “Nuxalk apprentices with advanced skilled workers, members of the Nuxalk Nation are building their own homes with their own resources, just as their ancestors once did.”

A huge problem is about to confront America: technical employees, such as mechanics and plumbers, are retiring at three times the rate that they are being trained. Vocational programs, apprenticeships, and associate degrees provide an alternative path for students who do not think a four-year university is the best path for them. Contrary to popular belief, careers in technical trade can be fairly lucrative, and states are investing in programs to make sure students know these jobs can be a realistic option for them.

There is a skills gap in America between people who are unemployed and companies who are hiring for specific skills. Apprenticeships are one way to fill that gap. The apprenticeship model is spreading all across the country, and it has a lot of benefits: companies get government subsidies to pay workers who will be trained in a specific role. The companies and the individuals benefit.