Paid apprenticeships for teenagers and young adults
A young person does not have to choose between earning money and learning a skill. A youth apprenticeship lets someone roughly 16 to 24 years old do both at the same time. The employer pays a wage from the first day, and the training ends with a credential that other employers recognize.
This page explains what a youth apprenticeship is, what it pays, and the main places a teenager or young adult can apply for one, including federal programs, high schools, trade unions, and employers that train their own workers. Parents can use this information too, since programs that accept anyone under 18 usually ask a parent or guardian for permission.
An apprenticeship can be a good fit for a student who learns better by doing than by sitting in a class, for a recent graduate who does not want student loan debt, or for a young adult who left school and needs an income now. There are programs for each of those situations.
- ALERT: If you are under 18: Many apprenticeship programs accept teenagers, but employers often require a parent or legal guardian to sign permission forms before you can begin. Some occupations also have minimum age requirements because federal and state child labor laws limit the type of work minors can perform.
What a youth apprenticeship is and what it pays
An apprenticeship is a paid job that includes training. The apprentice works for an employer, earns a wage, and spends part of each week in classes that relate to the work. The classes may be run by the employer, a community college, or a technical school.
Pay starts at a set rate and goes up as the apprentice learns more of the job. A mentor at the company teaches the apprentice, answers questions, and introduces them to other people in the field. When the program ends, the apprentice receives a certificate or license that is recognized nationwide, so the skills count with any employer and not just the one that provided the training.
Most youth apprenticeship programs accept people between 16 and 24 years old. Some trades cannot take anyone under 18 because of federal safety rules for young workers. The length of a program depends on the trade and the employer. Some finish in under a year, while programs in the skilled trades often take several years to complete.
Many high schools offer pre-apprenticeship classes that count toward graduation and prepare a student for a full apprenticeship later on. Apprenticeships exist in construction, electrical work, plumbing, health care, information technology, manufacturing, banking, hospitality, and many other fields. To see which occupations can start this way, read the NHPB guide to careers that begin with an apprenticeship.
Where to find a youth apprenticeship
The fastest place to look is the federal government's apprenticeship finder at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder. Enter the kind of work you want and your town, and the site shows open apprenticeship jobs that you apply for directly with the employer. Each posting is labeled so you can see whether it is tied to a registered program. If nothing is open in your area, the same site lists the organizations that sponsor apprenticeship programs so you can contact them and ask when they will take new applicants.
Students should also talk to their high school. Ask a counselor or a career and technical education teacher whether the school works with local employers on apprenticeships or pre-apprenticeship classes. Many states run their own youth apprenticeship systems for high school students, and the name of the system differs from one state to the next, so ask the counselor what your state calls its program or contact your state department of labor.
Community colleges and technical colleges are another place to ask. These schools often teach the classroom portion of an apprenticeship for local employers, and the admissions office or the workforce office on campus usually knows which companies are currently taking apprentices.
Trade unions train a large share of the country's apprentices. Local unions for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, sheet metal workers, and other trades run their own training programs, and apprentices earn union wages while they learn. Call or visit the union hall for the trade you want and ask when applications open, since many locals only accept new apprentices during set periods each year.
An American Job Center can connect a young person to apprenticeship openings, help paying for training, and youth employment programs at no cost. These government career centers operate in every state, and you can find the one closest to you through the NHPB page about free job training programs — government, nonprofit, and state resources.
Some employers train their own apprentices, including larger companies in shipping, technology, health care, and manufacturing. When you apply for a position at a bigger company, ask whether they run an apprenticeship or a paid training program for new workers. As an example to see this concept, trucking and transportation companies do something similar for older applicants by paying people while they earn a commercial driver's license, which is covered in the NHPB guide to paid CDL training.
Non-profit organizations also place young people into training. Some of the national ones, with local centers across the country, include the following.
Some apprenticeship openings receive many applications. Good grades are not always required, but showing up on time, having reliable transportation, passing any required drug screening, and demonstrating an interest in the trade can improve your chances of being accepted.
Job Corps and YouthBuild
Two national programs give young people more support than a standard apprenticeship does, and both are free.
Job Corps (website: https://www.jobcorps.gov/) provides career training, housing, meals, basic medical care, and a living allowance to low income young people between 16 and 24 years old. Students live on a campus, finish a high school diploma or an equivalency if they need one, and train for a trade. Many students move from Job Corps directly into an apprenticeship. There are campuses across the country, enrollment is open year round, and anyone under 18 needs permission from a parent or guardian. Call 800-733-5627 or apply through the Job Corps website.
YouthBuild (website: https://youthbuild.org/) serves young people between 16 and 24 who left high school without a diploma. Participants split their time between a classroom, where they work toward a diploma or an equivalency, and a work site, where they learn construction skills by building affordable housing in their own community. Many local programs also train people for health care, information technology, or other fields. YouthBuild counts as a pre-apprenticeship, so graduates can move into a registered apprenticeship when they finish. Local non-profit organizations run YouthBuild in most states. To find one, ask at an American Job Center or search for YouthBuild along with the name of your city or state.
How an apprenticeship compares to college, trade school, and internships
A college or a trade school charges tuition, and many students borrow money to pay it. An apprentice earns a wage from the first day and finishes with work experience, a credential, and little or no student debt. Some employers also cover college classes during the apprenticeship, so the credits can count toward a degree without the usual cost.
An internship is usually shorter than an apprenticeship, may be unpaid, and rarely ends with a credential. An apprenticeship always pays a wage and always ends with a certificate or license that other employers accept. An internship can still be worth taking for a student who wants to try out a field for a summer, but it does not replace the structured training an apprentice receives.
A trade school teaches in a classroom or a lab, and students pay to attend. An apprentice learns most skills on an actual job site while being paid, works next to experienced people in the field, and can show a future employer exactly what they have done. Some people combine the two, since credits from a trade school can sometimes shorten an apprenticeship.
An apprenticeship can take time to arrange, since application periods, school schedules, and hiring seasons all affect when a young person can start. Someone who needs money in the meantime can look at the NHPB guide to entry level jobs that pay well.
How to tell a real apprenticeship from a scam
A legitimate apprenticeship pays you. You should never pay an application fee, a placement fee, or a fee to be put on a waiting list. If a company or a website asks for money before you can apply, or asks you to pay for the training itself, do not continue, and report the company to your state attorney general.
There is one normal exception. After you are accepted, some trades expect apprentices to buy their own work boots, safety glasses, or basic hand tools. That is a standard cost of starting work in construction and similar fields. A fee that someone charges you before you are hired is a warning sign.
You can also check whether a program is registered. Registered apprenticeships are listed with the federal government or with a state apprenticeship office, and they must follow rules on wages, safety, and the quality of the training. The federal finder linked above labels each posting so you can see whether it is connected to a registered program.
Legitimate employers may conduct background checks or drug testing, but they should not ask for sensitive financial information or charge fees before hiring you.
The information on this page is for general reference. Programs, eligibility rules, and openings change, so always confirm the details directly with the school, union, employer, or agency before you apply.
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