Inside Higher Ed: The Apprentice: Why Higher Ed Is Leaning Into Earn-and-Learn

What if the campus of the future isn’t actually a campus?

As the higher education landscape faces rising costs and shifting demographics, the workplace is emerging as the new frontier for learning. Reach University and its National Center for the Apprenticeship Degree (NCAD) are leading this charge, proving that the Apprenticeship Degree is no longer just an alternative to traditional classrooms, but a necessary evolution.

Apprenticeships aren't just having a moment; they are a fast-growing and critical part of our future. To meet the needs of the modern workforce, we must embrace an "abundance mindset." As leaders at the California Community Colleges have noted, recognizing that learning happens outside the academic enterprise does not mean subtracting from faculty or courses—it means adding to the economic mobility we can provide. We need these pathways in every shape and form, from internships and co-ops to scaled, work-integrated learning.

This approach has seen widespread adoption, as states everywhere work to expand their own apprenticeship infrastructures through partnership and a shared commitment to student success.

• North Carolina saw record growth in 2024–25, serving over 16,000 apprentices with a 69 percent completion rate. Remarkably, 90 percent of those past completers remained with the same employer five years later.
• Wake Technical Community College specifically has seen a tenfold increase in the number of employers they work with through registered apprenticeships.

As Scott Ralls, President of Wake Technical Community College, observed, this growth is a direct response to a massive workforce need that higher education is now uniquely positioned to fill.

The data demonstrates that these programs are high-impact investments for both employers and taxpayers:

• National Momentum: The number of active participants in U.S. registered apprenticeship programs more than doubled between 2014 and 2024.
• Employer ROI: A federal study found a median return on investment of 44.3 percent; every $100 an employer invests generates $144.30 in total benefits.
• Taxpayer Impact: In states like Washington, the 10-year taxpayer return on investment is $7.80 for every $1 invested.

The evidence for this shift is a proven model that is growing in adoption through partnership and use. As the Inside Higher Ed deep-dive shows, graduates of these programs see significant wage increases without the burden of excessive student debt.