Preapprenticeship is a policy innovation that works for Illinois

For generations, blue-collar industries have boosted output and met consumer demand through capital investments and workforce development.

From time to time, however, unanticipated disruptions upend the economy.

Everything from rapid technological advancements and changes in public policy to pandemics and major military conflicts can result in labor force transitions.

One of the best such examples was the reinvigoration of America’s manufacturing base during World War II. As a generation of working-age men joined the military, our nation quickly retooled factories to make ships and tanks, while expanding employment opportunities to new pools of workers — as reflected in the iconic imagery of Rosie the Riveter.

America’s construction industry has been experiencing a similar phenomenon over recent decades. A surge of retirements from career journeyworkers started during the Great Recession and accelerated through the COVID pandemic, creating a tightening labor market. At the same time, high school “shop” classes and other vehicles that had previously introduced young people to opportunities in the skilled trades were scaled back. A steady stream of research and news reports detailed how the industry was not ideally positioned for historic investments to upgrade and construct roads, bridges, energy systems, data centers, manufacturing facilities, and housing.

The primary way for construction employers to combat skilled labor shortages has been to tap into the system of registered apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are debt-free training programs in which participants “earn while they learn” over 2 to 6 years and obtain nationally recognized credentials.

In Illinois, 98% of construction apprentices graduate from programs managed cooperatively between employers and trade unions. These programs offer proven career pathways, with average wages of $49 per hour for completers regardless of racial or gender background. But they have not always been accessible to all residents.

Preapprenticeship programs have emerged as a viable solution to this problem. These programs prepare individuals to succeed in registered apprenticeships by recruiting candidates into the trades, targeting new and emerging labor supply pools, offering tuition-free training over 6 to 18 weeks, and providing “wraparound” supports like stipends of $2,500 to $7,500, transportation assistance, child care, and mentoring services to bridge gaps that have historically served as barriers to entry.

A new study by the nonpartisan Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois assessed the impact of Illinois’ two largest preapprenticeship programs — the Highway Construction Careers Training Program and the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program — and showed they are working exactly as intended.

From 2017 to 2024, these programs received $66 million in state grant money and enrolled more than 5,800 participants. Women and Black workers — disproportionately underrepresented in the construction industry as a whole — are entering and graduating from these programs at very high rates. In fact, graduates from these two programs accounted for 35% of all new Black construction apprentices and 21% of all new female construction apprentices in Illinois. They contributed to a doubling of Black apprentices and a tripling of female apprentices over seven years. Both are the fastest-growing demographic groups in our construction workforce.

Preapprenticeship programs also have high returns on investment (ROIs). While the state’s investment amounts to about $13,000 per trainee, the programs deliver a 900% cumulative ROI over 10 years. Few workforce development initiatives offer such substantial payoffs.

Both the data and the real-world stories of graduates moving from low-paying jobs into good careers demonstrate that the preapprenticeship model of targeted outreach, barrier-breaking supports, and industry-focused training is a policy innovation that works for the construction industry, for workers, and for taxpayers. But more can be done to increase opportunities and improve effectiveness, from boosting grant funding and raising stipends above the minimum wage to making it easier for employers to hire pre-apprentices.

Every hardhat signifies a promise of fair wages and the satisfaction of constructing projects that endure. Preapprenticeship programs are making that promise accessible to those who once saw it from afar, while providing contractors with skilled local workers. The task ahead is to sustain and expand these gains so the gate to the middle class remains open to all who are ready to build.

• Frank Manzo is an economist at the nonpartisan Illinois Economic Policy Institute.