The Very First Nationwide Youth Apprenticeship Week is Coming Soon!

United States Department of Labor sent this bulletin at 01/26/2024 12:00 PM EST

THE VERY FIRST NATIONWIDE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP WEEK IS COMING SOON!

The inaugural Youth Apprenticeship Week (YAW) is only 100 days from today! This year’s celebration will take place May 5-11, 2024. Building off the success of National Apprenticeship Week, YAW is a nationwide celebration highlighting the benefits and value of Registered Apprenticeship program opportunities for youth, ages 16–24. Employers, educators, labor unions, workforce professionals, and their partners across the country are launching Registered Apprenticeship programs that allow youth to earn competitive wages while obtaining the relevant training and experience to start their careers, often including the opportunity to earn college credit.

YAW is an opportunity for these stakeholders and others to host events across the country to bring awareness of these life-changing Registered Apprenticeship career opportunities for youth and how they create a sustainable pipeline of skilled and diverse talent for the jobs of today and tomorrow for critical industries.

It is never too early to start planning. The YAW Event Planning Toolkit combined with the YAW Promotion Toolkit has all the resources you need to plan, organize, and host a successful event. During YAW 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor will highlight the following daily themes:

Monday: “Parents and Guardians are a Priority” in Registered Apprenticeship

Tuesday: Youth Apprenticeships: Building Awareness, Myth Busting, Partnering with Educational Providers, and Creating Pathways through Pre-Apprenticeship

Wednesday: Expanding Youth Apprenticeship Opportunities for Underserved Populations

Thursday: National Youth Apprenticeship Signing Day

Friday: Federal Partners Day and Call to Action

Not sure where to start? See the recommended actions below that you can take right now.

Host an Event for YAW

Join Youth and Registered Apprenticeship champions from across the U.S. by hosting an apprenticeship related event or activity! Check out our YAW Resources page for tools to help promote and plan your events including a YAW Fact Sheet, Event Planning Toolkit, and Guide to Hosting a Virtual Event. Don’t forget to add your event to our website!

Submit a YAW Proclamation

Whether or not you host an event, we welcome you to proclaim your support for Youth and Registered Apprenticeship! Use our proclamation templates (state, city, tribal nations, education, or industry) available on our Resources page and display it on your website. We encourage you to also add it to ours!

Help us Spread the Word

Here are a few ways you can help spread the word: Visit the YAW website to download the YAW Editable Flyer or YAW Event Mailer. Share these with your partners to spread the word. Consider drafting a Proclamation to commemorate the inaugural YAW (see above). Check out our YAW Resources page for proclamation templates for cities, states, and industries. And don’t forget to share your event and apprenticeship successes on social media using #YAW2024 and #ApprenticeshipUSA!

SHARE WITH US

Follow the U.S. Department of Labor, continue to tag us in YAW event photos, and be sure to use the official hashtag #YAW2024 for a chance to be featured on the YAW Social Media Board.