2 days ago
CONWAY, Ark. – Caleb Moss begins his workday early on Tuesdays and Thursdays, arriving at Virco Manufacturing at 4:30 a.m. As an apprentice in the tool and die department, he works under a mentor to craft high-precision tools and molds used throughout the plant.
At 9:00 a.m., Moss leaves the factory to attend Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock, Ark., where he spends the day in classes, starting with math and continuing with hands-on training on machines similar to those he uses at Virco. He finishes his day at 4:30 p.m. and is paid for all hours spent both at work and in school.
Moss is one of two employees selected from other departments at Virco, a school-furniture manufacturer best known for its colorful plastic classroom chairs, to participate in a three-year apprenticeship program in tool and die. This approach is part of Virco's strategy to fill critical workforce gaps and aligns with President Trump's emphasis on apprenticeships as a cornerstone of his promise to usher in a golden age for American workers.
Having spent a decade in lower-skilled roles at Virco, including shipping and receiving, Moss is enthusiastic about the opportunity. "I didn't get the chance to go to school because I had kids early," he says. "This allows me to further my education and do better things for this company. It's been a really awesome thing."
A Goal of 1 Million Apprenticeships
More than two decades after his TV show The Apprentice topped ratings, President Trump is betting on apprenticeships to drive significant economic gains. In an executive order issued last April, Trump set a goal to increase active apprenticeships to 1 million, up from about 700,000 currently.
This policy is one of the few that former President Joe Biden also supports. Trump’s executive order highlights building on apprenticeship successes "to seize new opportunities and unlock the limitless potential of the American worker."
The Labor Department even posted a video on Instagram declaring: "The new era of American dominance will be forged not by woke universities, but by the grit of our skilled workers."
The apprenticeship model combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction, enabling employers to develop talent that fills skill gaps and offers workers long-term careers. The Trump administration, like previous ones, promotes registered apprenticeships that meet strict government standards, including training hours, formal mentorship, and progressive wage increases.
Countries like Germany and Switzerland have long used this "earn while you learn" model across various industries. In the U.S., however, apprenticeships had mostly been limited to construction trades until recently.
Federal funding has helped increase registered apprenticeships in the U.S. by nearly 80% over the past decade, according to the Labor Department, with rapid growth in sectors such as health care and IT.
The Trump administration’s messaging last year gave advocates hope for even faster growth. Zach Boren, who worked on apprenticeships at the Labor Department under both Obama and Trump, says, "If we want to build data centers, semiconductor plants, or invest in huge infrastructure projects, we need the skilled workforce to do it."
However, nearly a year after the executive order, questions remain about the administration’s commitment. "We're seeing a lot of rhetoric and not a lot of action," says Boren, now senior vice president at the nonprofit Apprenticeships for America.
In fact, some developments have been setbacks. Last year, amid budget cuts, the Trump administration canceled millions in contracts with organizations promoting apprenticeships in clean energy and other sectors, and also canceled grants aimed at evaluating apprenticeship program effectiveness.
Moreover, Trump has not requested increased funding from Congress to support his 1 million apprenticeship goal. Appropriations have stayed at $285 million annually since 2023.
Boren argues that to match Germany and Switzerland, the U.S. should invest billions and aim for 4 million apprenticeships, four times Trump’s target.
He points to a 2022 Labor Department study showing apprenticeships yield a 144% return on investment, with employers benefiting from higher productivity and lower turnover. The government also benefits by reducing workers’ reliance on social assistance programs.
"The goal of this and many administrations is to get people into good, sustainable work," Boren says. "You just can't spend enough on giving someone purpose."
The Trump Administration’s Apprenticeship Push Starts in Arkansas
In December, the Trump administration announced its first major apprenticeship investment: $35.8 million for the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, mostly directed to employers. In a surprising move, the Labor Department assigned Arkansas to administer the nationwide fund through a noncompetitive process.
Labor Department spokesperson Courtney Parella told NPR, "Arkansas has demonstrated its experience, capacity, and strong track record needed to help administer the Department's manufacturing apprenticeship initiative."
Arkansas has seen a surge in registered apprenticeships since 2019, when the state formed a blue-ribbon commission to address talent gaps in IT, cybersecurity, and data analytics, combining federal and state funds to accelerate efforts. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has recently supported expanding apprenticeships into other industries.
Now responsible for jumpstarting manufacturing apprenticeships nationwide, Arkansas officials have received inquiries from across the country. "West Coast to East Coast, South, North, Midwest — all across the board," says Cody Waits, executive director of Arkansas' Division of Workforce Connections.
Manufacturers anywhere in the U.S. can receive a $3,500 incentive for each new registered apprentice they hire, paid after the apprentice completes 90 days.
"The question is, is this money enough?" says Nick Beadle, a former Labor Department workforce funding analyst now working as a consultant. "The immediate response when the funds were released in early February was, 'No, this isn't going to cut it.'"
The Labor Department defended its approach, telling NPR, "We are confident that leveraging the recently announced pay-for-performance funding models will maximize the impact of appropriated funding and drive unprecedented growth in the number of active apprentices."
While $3,500 covers only a fraction of apprenticeship costs, Waits believes even modest funding can encourage companies to participate. "Every little bit of interest helps," he says. "When companies adopt apprenticeship, they tend to keep it as part of their workforce strategy."
Helping Companies Navigate Bureaucracy
Many companies have been hesitant to engage in apprenticeships due to the red tape involved with registered programs, including paperwork, recordkeeping, and potential Labor Department audits.
That’s where organizations like Apprenticely come in. Lonnie Emard, who works for the nonprofit, has helped create about 2,500 registered apprenticeships in Arkansas since 2019 by managing the administrative tasks and leveraging state, federal, and private grants to cover most costs.
Over six years, Emard has persuaded employers ranging from Walmart to Arkansas Children's Hospital and wood pellet manufacturer Highland Pellets to take chances on candidates lacking traditional qualifications or degrees.
"If they have essential skills but lack some technical pieces, that's what apprenticeships are great for," he says.
Emard’s goal is to show employers they’re not settling for less but gaining more productive, loyal employees. "They're going to have a future, and they're going to stay," he says.
New Technology Drives Workforce Needs
Among those convinced recently is Steve Presley, Virco’s vice president and general manager. After the success of Moss’ apprenticeship, Presley plans to create 20 more apprenticeships in other plant areas.
Inside Virco’s 1.2 million-square-foot production facility, Presley is excited about new equipment: a $1.5 million saw, 30 robots that weld steel, and an electrostatic powder coat booth.
The new technology is improving efficiency but also creating challenges. "We have a big learning curve on how to operate and maintain this equipment," Presley says. "That's where we're really behind the eight ball."
Retirements have intensified the problem; Presley says the company has lost 250 years’ worth of experience since the start of the year. Competition for skilled workers is fierce in Arkansas, with steel industries in the north and defense contractors in the south vying for talent.
Working with Apprenticely, Presley has developed a plan to train more employees to operate high-tech machines, ensuring minimal downtime if an employee is absent or a robot malfunctions. Moss will play a key role after completing his training, able to disassemble robots, diagnose issues, remake parts, and get machines running again.
"He was already a valuable employee," Presley says, "but this is honestly more critical than what he was doing before."
The Road to 1 Million Apprenticeships
The number of active apprenticeships in the U.S. fluctuates as apprentices start and finish training. According to Labor Department data, growth in fiscal year 2025 slowed slightly compared to the previous year. Still, the White House expects growth to accelerate as more investments are made.
The Labor Department is currently running a competitive process to award $145 million to expand apprenticeships in sectors like IT, artificial intelligence, health care, shipbuilding, and defense.
Zach Boren estimates these funds might create between 35,000 and 50,000 apprenticeships. "That's not going to get us to a million," he says.
Economic conditions could also impact progress. A disappointing February jobs report showed employers cut 92,000 jobs, including in manufacturing and construction.
"Historically, when layoffs begin, training and workforce development are often the first items cut from company budgets," Boren notes.
From his vantage point overseeing the manufacturing incentive fund, Waits remains optimistic, pointing to Virco’s plan to expand from two apprenticeships to 20. "Think about how many Vircos there may be across the country," he says. "You do that enough times, you get a million apprentices."
