Community colleges are providing new opportunities for learning on the job in logging and oystering

As society debates the value of a traditional college degree, states, employers, and even colleges are opting to focus on apprenticeships that allow students to learn on the job and gain real-world experience while also being compensated for their work. Nationwide, there are about 680,000 registered apprentices working in fields ranging from information technology to aquaculture to fashion.

Los Angeles Community Colleges are now offering subject-matter courses taught in students’ native languages, including Spanish, Russian, and Korean. The tuition-free vocational classes allow students to earn certificates in a trade or work toward a GED, all while learning in the language they’re most comfortable speaking.

The Wyoming Works Program has helped adults afford to attend college and find better jobs. When the program started in 2019, the state government allotted $5 million dollars and since then $3 million have been used for student grants. "Individual student grants range from $1,680 to $3,360 per academic year."

Virginia's FastForward program helps students access job training programs and earn credentials faster at a lower cost, with participants paying only one third of the amount. Students who complete one of the eligible programs see their wages increase by an average of $14,869.

To quickly build a skilled workforce, two Kansas community colleges and Panasonic created an accelerated 8-week apprenticeship, funded by the company and featuring tailored classroom and practical training. The program aims to fast-track workers into Panasonic's new EV battery factory while providing clear career pathways through stackable credentials.

Toyota is building a battery plant in the small town of Liberty, North Carolina, and ushering in an economic revival. Along with the thousands of jobs it is expected to bring to the area, the company is working with community colleges and paying students to complete programs in which they learn the necessary skills to work at the plant.

Community colleges such as Delaware Technical Community College and Lorain County Community College offer short-term certificate programs that are more accessible to adult learners and students with families. In 2022, the Delaware college awarded roughly 4,500 certificates and credentials.

Indiana's Crossing the Finish Line program leverages COVID-19 relief funding to cover the cost of college-level credit for high school students. The program targets students who are only a few credits away from completing the state's College Core curriculum or receiving a technical credential.

Virginia’s G3 grant program helps cover education costs for students in the most in-demand industries in the state.

Europen-inspired apprenticeship programs in Indianapolis, Indiana, pay students to work and train for jobs allowing them to gain career experience and pay part, or all, of their college tuition before graduation.