The Impact of Youth Apprenticeship and Employability Skills Programs on Career & Technical Education Concentrator-Completer Post Graduation Outcomes

Abstract

Work-based learning is a key component of career and technical education programs. A variety of certificated and non-certificated work-based learning programs exist for high schools to implement. Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship program is a widely used model of work-based learning in high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across the state, yet there is limited research on the impact of these programs related to student outcomes.<br/> This paper describes the findings from a study in which educational and employment outcomes of secondary CTE concentrator-completers participating in a Youth Apprenticeship and/or Employability Skills program were analyzed. Findings indicate that participating in a Youth Apprenticeship program while concentrating in a secondary CTE program of study may lead to a higher rate of continuing into one's area of concentration after high school than students earning Wisconsin's Employability Skills Certificate.