At a time when employers are struggling to fill roles, questioning the value of traditional degrees, and searching for more reliable talent pipelines, one of the most effective workforce solutions has been here all along.

At least according to Maria Flynn, President and CEO of Jobs for the Future, who argues that apprenticeships may be one of the most overlooked solutions in today’s labor market.

“There's a strong business case for both the employer and for the worker,” she said.

Long associated with construction sites and skilled trades, apprenticeships are quietly expanding into fields like healthcare, finance, advanced manufacturing, and even technology, Flynn said. They offer a way to train workers on the job, align skills directly to business needs and build talent from within.

That value isn’t just theoretical. Robert Lerman, Chairman of the Board for Apprenticeships for America, said apprenticeships fundamentally change how workers gain skills and how employers build talent.

“With apprenticeships, you don’t have that risk of spending money and foregoing earnings while you’re training,” he said. “It’s a job as well as a place where you gain skills.”

Yet despite growing interest and strong outcomes, they remain widely underused outside their traditional roots. In a labor force of roughly 160 million people, only about 700,000 Americans are currently enrolled in a Registered Apprenticeship program.

At the same time, the outcomes are hard to ignore. Apprentices earn an average annual salary of $84,000, compared to a national average of $66,000, and see lifetime earnings roughly $300,000 higher than their peers, according to data from the U.S. Registered Apprenticeship system.

For employers, the return is equally compelling. A U.S. Department of Labor evaluation found that every $100 invested in apprenticeship generates roughly $144 in benefits through higher productivity, reduced turnover and lower recruiting costs.

That gap between results and adoption is raising a more pointed question. If apprenticeships are this effective, why are so many organizations still treating them as a niche solution?

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