Big Sandy Community and Technical College played host to one of the Kentucky Department of Education’s regional educator apprenticeship sessions in March. Photo by Nathan Lyttle, Kentucky Department of Education, March 13, 2025
Educator apprenticeships provide a structured way for aspiring teachers to gain hands-on experience while working toward certification, a common model in other industries but is now being applied to education.
At the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) regional sessions on educator apprenticeship, Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher emphasized the importance of the initiative.
“Your attendance here today reflects your interest in growing your own. And we all know one of the most important things about having teachers is that we know that people that we raise, that we bring up in our own classrooms, those are the ones that we want to invest in most,” Fletcher said. “We want to make sure that they come back because they’re invested in our homes. They want to be a part of our communities. And to grow your own teachers is a sustainable way to build our own workforce.”
Fletcher also highlighted how the model mirrors the success of apprenticeships in other industries.
“Other industries, both domestically and abroad, have successfully utilized apprenticeships for decades to centuries to train their workforce by utilizing the knowledge of seasoned subject matter experts,” he said. “Traditionally, apprenticeship was thought of to be only for the skilled trades. But the United States is embracing this program for more non-traditional occupations such as IT, healthcare, business, and of course, teaching.”
Kentucky’s apprenticeship model builds on its career and technical education (CTE) framework, requiring students to complete three CTE courses related to the apprenticeship along with a paid work-based learning experience.
Mary Taylor, industry training and development specialist with KDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education, provided data on the growth of apprenticeship programs across the state.
“We began this as a pilot in 2013 with three employers and seven apprentices. We have grown to over 1,000 apprentices working with over 250 employers. This can and should be a higher number,” Taylor said.
Taylor noted that the program faced challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now seeing steady growth.
“We had a lot of minds to change, but we are starting to see them embrace this model,” Taylor said.
One of the key benefits of apprenticeships, Taylor explained, is that they provide students with clear career pathways while allowing employers to train their future workforce.
With KDE’s regional sessions showcasing the success of educator apprenticeships, state leaders hope that more districts will adopt the model in the coming years.
Educators and district leaders interested in learning more about the program can visit the Kentucky Department of Education’s website for additional resources and funding opportunities.
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