Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship

Increasing the Participation of 

Young Adults with Disabilities in 

Apprenticeship Programs

3
An Overview: 

Apprenticeship programs offer young adults, including those with disabilities, a career 

pathway that provides employment as the individual learns on the job. Individuals who 

successfully complete an apprenticeship program become journey level workers and receive a 

widely recognized credential of skills attainment. Although the availability of apprenticeship 

openings varies by community, many different industries and occupations are represented 

in apprenticeship programs. Considering all the benefits of apprenticeship, more focused 

attention should be given to learning about available apprenticeship openings, developing 

relationships with apprenticeship employers, and increasing the participation of individuals 

with disabilities in apprenticeship programs.

What You Need to Know: 

There are many myths and misperceptions that surround apprenticeship. Here are some 

important facts to know when considering apprenticeship as an employment option for 

young adults.

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Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship - Increasing the Participation

First and foremost, 

apprenticeship is a job, 

making it a highly desirable 

post-secondary option for 

young adults, including those 

with disabilities. 

As apprentices progress 

they are guaranteed wage 

increases, as outlined in 

the apprenticeship program 

standards. 

While apprenticeship 

originated from and remains 

prominent in the building and 

construction trades, many 

other occupations also have 

apprenticeship programs. In 

fact, over 950 occupations 

have been recognized by the 

Department of Labor (DOL) 

for apprenticeship programs.

Registered apprenticeship 

is a voluntary, industrydriven training program. The 

program can be a partnership 

of business and organized 

labor or implemented by 

employers or employer 

associations. Employers 

generally bear the costs of 

the program. Government 

plays a supporting role, 

providing technical assistance 

and support, registering 

programs and apprentices, 

and issuing credentials 

to those individuals who 

su

pr

Apprentices may begin a 

registered apprenticeship 

at 16 years of age, but the 

minimum age for most 

programs is 18. Other 

basic qualifications for 

apprenticeship programs 

are set by the employer or 

partnership that sponsors the 

program. 

It is important to learn about 

the apprenticeship programs 

that are operating in your 

community, the minimum 

qualifications for applicants, 

and announcements of 

 applicants.
There are several ways to learn about the 

registered apprenticeship programs that are 

active in the community. The government 

agencies that register and support 

apprenticeship programs have a list of 

program sponsors (the term for apprenticeship 

programs) in the state. In 25 states plus 

the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, 

there is a state agency that administers 

apprenticeship. In the remaining states, that 

function is performed by the federal Office 

of Apprenticeship. In addition, DOL’s Office 

of Apprenticeship maintains a listing of all 

its program sponsors by state, and this is 

available through its Web site. The resource 

section below provides links for the directories 

of state and federal apprenticeship program 

officials and the listing of program sponsors.

At the local level, One-Stop Career Centers 

and community colleges are good sources of 

information about apprenticeship programs 

and apprenticeship applicant openings. 

All One-Stop Career Centers are part of an 

electronic job bank that is available to the 

community and may include apprenticeship 

job openings. Community colleges typically 

offer employment services to the community, 

and are one of the primary sources of 

apprenticeship-related training.

Many apprenticeship programs are suitable for 

individuals with a broad range of abilities. For 

example, career lattice apprenticeships found 

within the culinary, nursing, retail pharmacy, 

and security officer occupations, offer 

individuals, including those with disabilities, 

the opportunity to receive an interim 

credential called a “Certificate of Training.” 

This credential recognizes achievement of 

a specific set of skills. Such career lattice 

apprenticeships allow individuals, both with 

and without disabilities, to move laterally or 

upward within an industry.

It is important that the prospective applicants 

for apprenticeship have the skills, aptitudes 

and interests needed to succeed. The Career 

Voyager Web site, sponsored by DOL, is a good 

source of information for individuals to learn 

about careers, emerging occupations and job 

requirements, including apprenticeship. A 

vocational assessment may be necessary to 

determine whether an individual is suited to 

the available apprenticeship programs. The 

assessment should include the following areas:

•	Academic performance or achievement

•	Physical and cognitive abilities

•	Vocational interests and aptitudes

•	Occupational skill competencies

Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship - Increasing the Participation
There are myriad tools and resources within 

communities to help with the vocational 

assessment. Most agencies and organizations 

that work with individuals with disabilities 

have this capability. Vocational Rehabilitation 

Services and its network of community 

resource providers are a particularly good 

source for obtaining assessments for 

qualified clients. If assistance is needed, 

local One-Stop Career Centers and community 

colleges are also good places to find help.

Some individuals may need additional training 

before they can qualify for an apprenticeship 

program. Typically, the training falls into two 

categories: basic skills needed to qualify for 

the occupation; and general work-readiness 

skills that provide an individual with the “soft 

skills” employers look for in job applicants. 

Pre-apprenticeship programs provide these 

types of opportunities, although they mainly 

exist within the building and construction 

trades. One-Stop Career Centers and 

community colleges are good sources for both 

basic skill and work-readiness training.

Another recommended approach is to 

develop partnerships with existing program 

sponsors. These partnerships could include 

opportunities for individuals to “try out” 

the jobs without cost to the employer 

through internships or on-the-job training 

programs sponsored by the referring agency. 

Such partnerships also facilitate learning 

about apprenticeship openings that become 

available.

Often people with disabilities are involved 

with more than one system or service 

provider. For example, a Job Corps student 

might also be a Vocational Rehabilitation 

client. Services need to be coordinated to 

avoid duplication and to insure that only one 

agency or organization is working directly 

with an employer on an individual’s behalf.

Helping to defray some of 

the costs associated with 

providing apprenticeship and 

pre-apprenticeship training 

can make an applicant more 

attractive when competing 

for apprenticeship openings. 

Some of the costs that could 

be supported include those for 

the related training (normally 

classroom instruction) that is 

required in all apprenticeship 

programs. Additionally, 

employers usually incur 

expenses for tools, uniforms, 

equipment, as well as costs 

associated with providing 

reasonable accommodations for 

an individual with disabilities. 

Vocational Rehabilitation funds 

can be used to offset training, 

support services, tools and 

equipment, and accommodation 

costs for qualified clients. 

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 

funds may also be used for tools, 

equipment and training, and 

support services. Continuing to 

support individuals once they 

are placed in apprenticeship 

programs, including the costs of 

a job coach for individuals with 

more significant disabilities, 

is also an important strategy 

for increasing apprenticeship 

opportunities. 

Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship - Increasing the Participation
Where to Go For More Information: 

General information on registered apprenticeship may be obtained from the U.S. Department of 

Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: www.doleta.gov/OA/eta_default.cfm. Additionally, 

staff directories are available for: 

The National Office: www.doleta.gov/OA/national.cfm.

Apprenticeship Officials by State: www.doleta.gov/OA/stateoffices.cfm.

You can search for program sponsors in your state through the Office of Apprenticeship at: 

http://oa.doleta.gov/bat.cfm.

For a directory of One-Stop Career Centers across the U.S., visit: 

www.careeronestop.org/findos/default.aspx.

DOL sponsors a Web site called Career Voyages that discusses a young person’s post-secondary 

options, including apprenticeship: www.careervoyages.gov/apprenticeship-main.cfm.

Visit the community colleges in your area to find more information about possible apprenticeship 

programs, pre-apprenticeship programs, and related training. For a directory of community 

colleges and access to individual community college Web sites, visit the American Association 

of Community Colleges at: http://www.aacc.nche.edu.

You can search for the local Vocational Rehabilitation office closest to you on America’s Service 

Locator: www.servicelocator.org.

Youth with Disabilities Entering the Workplace through Apprenticeship - Increasing the Participation

1. Understanding Apprenticeship Basics

2. Preparing Youth and Young Adults for 

Apprenticeship Programs

3. Increasing Participation of Young Adults 

with Disabilities In Apprenticeship 

Programs

4. Establishing New Apprenticeship Programs

5. What Apprenticeship Employers Need to 

Know About Working with Young Adults 

with Disabilities

6. Looking to Future Opportunities in 

Apprenticeship

Office of Disability 

Employment Policy

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20210

Voice 

1-866-ODEP-DOL (633-7365) 

TTY 

1-877-889-5627

www.dol.gov/odep

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