Business-Led, Student-Centered

Business-Led, Student-Centered

Colorado's Bold Move

A Mutually Beneficial System

Here's How It Works

The CareerWise model is based on the premise that each party involved—the apprentice and the hiring business—benefit from participating in apprenticeship.

Students graduate high school on time, earn a nationally-recognized industry certification and the opportunity for debt-free college credit. Additionally, apprentices enter the workforce—either after they’ve completed a higher-ed degree or immediately following their apprenticeship—with a professional network and valuable experience in high-paying and in-demand fields.

Businesses realize positive ROI based on the value of the apprentices’ work, reduce turnover costs, create a talent pipeline of diverse workers and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable economy.

CareerWise borrows elements of the Swiss system of apprenticeship to build Colorado’s innovative and unique system. In Switzerland there are more than 230 approved apprenticeship occupations, and 40 percent of all companies participate in the program. In that environment, 70 percent of Swiss students choose apprenticeships and 30 percent of them stay with their training company or return after college. In fact, many of the world’s largest companies are run by CEOs that started out as an apprentice. It’s that kind of endless possibility we’re building in Colorado with CareerWise—a system in which apprentices can go from the workplace to a PhD or the classroom to a corner office.