By Erica Waterford, VP of Education and Employment, First Place for Youth 

Over the past year, First Place for Youth has had the opportunity to participate in a national learning community focused on one central question: how do young people successfully move from pre-apprenticeship into registered apprenticeship and, ultimately, into meaningful careers? This work is captured in the new report, Understanding Youth Movement from Pre-Apprenticeship to Registered Apprenticeship, which also includes thoughtful recommendations from a Youth Council of Changemakers. 

While many partners in this initiative have been engaged over a three-year period, First Place for Youth joined the cohort this year. In our first year, 19 young people enrolled in and completed the Business Technology Administration Pre-Apprenticeship, and 4 have already advanced into a formal Registered Apprenticeship. For a new participant in this field, these outcomes signal both strong potential and a solid foundation to build on. 

Participation in this project has significantly deepened our understanding of the apprenticeship ecosystem. As an agency, we are better equipped to navigate timelines, requirements, and handoffs between pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship, and to identify where young people—especially those with histories of foster care, housing instability, or other systemic barriers—encounter friction. The report’s emphasis on supportive services, clear navigation, and paid opportunities closely aligns with what we see in practice: young people are more likely to engage and persist when programs are designed with their financial realities and life circumstances in mind. 

The Youth Council of Changemakers’ recommendations underscore another key lesson: youth voice is essential to effective program design. Their insights echo what we hear from the young people we serve—programs work best when they are transparent, relevant, and respectful of youth experience and perspective. This has reinforced our commitment to bringing youth into conversations about how pathways are structured and how employers and providers can better support their success. 

Looking ahead, First Place will continue integrating apprenticeship pathways into our broader program model, strengthening partnerships with employers, and using data and learning from this first year to refine how we prepare and support participants. Our involvement in this initiative has not only expanded our understanding of apprenticeships; it has positioned us to contribute more meaningfully to a growing field that holds real promise for equity and economic mobility. 

We are grateful to JFF, the Youth Council, and our fellow providers and employer partners for their collaboration and leadership in this work. As youth apprenticeship continues to evolve, we are eager to build on these early results and help ensure that more young people can access high-quality, career-building opportunities. 

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