This post hits home. The dynamic described here is one we've witnessed firsthand: employers stand to benefit the most from work-based learning initiatives, yet the burden of implementation often falls solely on schools and workforce systems. At GoSprout, we’re tackling this challenge by simplifying apprenticeship program management for employers, schools, and training partners. By reducing administrative friction—tracking compliance, streamlining workflows, and ensuring scalable solutions—we’re making it easier for employers to engage with early and nontraditional talent. Building stronger talent pipelines requires collaboration, innovation, and a shift in mindset—employers and educators working in tandem to create pathways that benefit everyone.
Scaling Learning Operations | Building high-performing teams | Former School Founder
In 2018, when I was a school principal in Camden, NJ, the state mandated computer science education for all students. With my students reading at a 2nd grade level and bare-bones funding, this seemed like both an impossible and unreasonable ask. Then I had an "aha" moment that ultimately led me to work in the private sector: employers had the most to gain from this initiative, yet bore none of the implementation burden. While they struggled to fill critical tech roles affecting their bottom line, schools were left to navigate the complexities of building these programs alone. Today's NPR article highlights this same dynamic. Apprenticeship demand far exceeds supply, with only 0.5% of the workforce gaining access to these opportunities. We just don't make it easy enough for employers to engage: the education system is fractured across high schools, universities, and training programs; apprenticeship regulations are cumbersome and intimidating; incentives are typically grant-funded and unpredictable. To expand work-based learning, we need to make engagement simple and valuable. The startup ecosystem needs to tackle this challenge head-on by creating technology that simplifies talent pipeline development for employers. Companies like GoSprout.app are building platforms to handle compliance and administration - exactly the kind of innovation needed to help employers engage with early and nontraditional talent. Who else is building technology to reduce friction for employers in developing nontraditional talent pipelines? #WorkforceDevelopment #Apprenticeships #Education #FutureOfWork