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Gen Z is navigating a world that their parents and teachers haven’t experienced. The view that college is the only path to success is being challenged by new realities. Student educational debt is a growing concern according to the , and employers value real-world experience as much as formal education,  according to the reflection on a recent Forbes survey by . According to this finding, employers can provide both academic and professional learning opportunities to their employees, including apprenticeships, to address their workforce development needs. Although earning a college degree is a strong investment, its value depends on the experience, skills, and whether it leads to employment opportunities. At the same time, young adults feel pressure and stress as they try to meet  the expectations of those around them, as indicated in a 2024 study by .��

However, college isn’t the only path to success. Youth apprenticeship offers a viable pathway for Gen Z that offers education with paid work experience, but youth need to know more about this option. I spoke with Christopher Grant, a former product design youth apprentice who now works full-time at Mastercard, and Freddie Rollinson, a current project coordinator youth apprentice who works for Apprenticeships for America, to understand what Gen Z’s perceptions of youth apprenticeship are and what might work to help young people see youth apprenticeship in a better light. I discovered four key themes based on my conversations with both of them.

Grant didn’t know about youth apprenticeship until a classmate told him about it. He said that if he was unaware, other students likely were too. Rollinson said that his peers didn’t know about the youth apprenticeship when he applied, and that many students find the idea of a youth apprenticeship “appealing, yet unclear.” 

There needs to be a better strategy than word of mouth for learning about youth apprenticeship. And the benefits need to be clear. Students have many opportunities throughout high school, and beginning a youth apprenticeship program might be seen as an added responsibility. Youth must consider the activities their high school offers, such as dual enrollment courses, AP courses, extracurricular clubs and sports, and community service, among other responsibilities. Gen Z has to see that youth apprenticeships are worth applying to, alongside these other demands on their time and energy.�� 

Gen Z students might have positive perceptions of youth apprenticeship if they knew it could provide stability, financial independence, and meaningful professional experiences. Grant and Rollinson emphasize that a youth apprenticeship in high school is more than an extracurricular activity; it’s a stepping stone into the workforce.��

Grant explained that “any door is a good door, especially one opened at a young age.” He feels that the return on investment (ROI) for youth apprentices is obvious: apprentices spend one to four years gaining experience, earning income, and building a professional network. Completing a youth apprenticeship program can be a strategic advantage in the job market. For Gen Z, a four-year university degree has been promoted as the safest route to success, but if they knew about the value that youth apprenticeships offer, they may be able to understand the impact it has for their long-term career.��

 There might be hesitancy in choosing one door over another because youth want to keep their options open to understand what they like and don’t like. And some young people who have to help support their families might feel they can’t afford to take risks in experimenting. But the benefits should be clear: youth apprentices receive wages, on-the-job training, and in-demand skills. Being employed at 16 or 17 years old builds on-the-job experience, personal advocacy skills, and understanding of workplace cultures and expectations. And according to an  Education Strategy Group and Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship joint report, “[Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky] TRACK graduates who earned an industry certificate and enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program have a 100% employment rate seven years post-graduation with a median wage of $74,748, nearly $30,000 higher than the state’s median wage for all occupations.” 

Rollinson visited his alma mater, Eastern Senior High School, early this year, and spoke to students about his experience as a youth apprentice. He encouraged students to choose an apprenticeship as a way to get closer to their career goals without debt or an additional four-to-six years of higher education. After the apprenticeship is over, completers might be hired in their industry, receive an industry-recognized credential, or pursue an adult apprenticeship. Concerns about outcomes are valid, but providing youth with the information needed to understand the return on investment and how it can lead to stronger career prospects and flexibility.

Conversations about youth apprenticeships as a pathway to opportunity must become as routine as conversations about traditional pathways, like college. Rollinson suggested that Gen Z needs exposure to stories of youth apprentices who completed their programs and built careers from them. “The more they know, the more likely they are to be excited about the opportunity,” he said.

Young adults’ peer influence can’t be overlooked. Gen Z is a well-connected generation that looks to one another when forming opinions about school, careers, and success. A youth apprentice who shares their experience among peers builds credibility within their social group. An example from the PAYA Youth Council is when a group of Council members developed their personal project: a social media toolkit for youth. In their toolkit, they had relevant language, examples of what would drive traction, videos with a member to demonstrate, and a webinar to discuss their work.��

High school teachers, advisors, and career counselors play an important role in publicizing youth apprenticeship. In youth educational settings, counselors and mentors are expected to be the primary source of information, providing students with exposure to real-world examples of career paths, and trusted adult guidance is key to career choices and self-efficacy.��

My experience bears this out. During my time at Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy, I began a youth apprenticeship program with ������Ƶ, as its youth apprentice project coordinator on the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) team. For me, becoming aware of the youth apprenticeship program was through the school’s NAF Track Leader, Mr. Nidz. After a representative from CareerWise DC visited and presented on youth apprenticeship programs, he was a huge support in ensuring  that my youth apprenticeship program didn’t impact the work and competencies I needed to complete in order to graduate high school.��

Like many youth apprentices, I did not have to choose between a youth apprenticeship and college. I worked  with my team to align my schedule with my classes and remote work. For students, presenting youth apprenticeships alongside college as a postsecondary option can reduce stigma, raise awareness, and boost the confidence of students who may be unsure of their pathway after high school. Students need to see what a youth apprenticeship is and that it can work for anyone. Then they will have the confidence to consider it a real option.

Other ways to increase the visibility of youth apprenticeship include giving young adults a chance to job shadow, hear from guest speakers representing companies that are hiring, and attend informational sessions.��

To successfully engage youth in youth apprenticeship programs, communications and marketing should be relatable to Gen Z. Gen Z spends hours on social media platforms, encountering a lot of information. Marketing tactics that could be relatable to Gen Z include hearing from youth apprentices who share similar backgrounds (ethnicity, region, school, gender, etc.). These examples would include infographics to be hung up on high school or college campuses, social media promotions boosting viewership among young adults, and videos of youth who completed the program to be shared on social media. Grant noted, “To really leverage social media would lead to more connections and visibility.” Information about youth apprenticeship opportunities should help young people understand available pathways to make the most informed decisions about their future. Messages should include examples of real-world experiences from former youth apprentices, job expectations, information about the benefits and ROI, and experience gained. Stakeholders, employers, intermediaries, and academic counselors should work together to make youth apprenticeships appealing, easier to imagine, and attainable.

Through my conversations with Christopher Grant and Freddie Rollinson, it’s become clear that when students learn about youth apprenticeship programs early, understand their  return on investment, and hear directly from peers who’ve experienced it, they are more likely to see youth apprenticeship as a credible and attainable option. If educators, employers, and workforce organizations work together to make youth apprenticeship programs as visible and accessible as possible, more young people will be empowered to choose this pathway.