PAYA Adds 33 New Members to Virtual Learning Network

In February 2025, the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) welcomed 33 new members to the PAYA Network – a national learning community of over 80 place-based apprenticeship programs serving high school age youth.

In the United States, youth apprenticeship has traditionally been a fragmented field, with local and state-led programs taking the lead in developing programs and prioritizing experimentation. With no federal definition of youth apprenticeship – and a broad range of definitions at the state level – PAYA is committed to advancing shared practices and terminology, while also identifying and elevating innovative solutions, resources, and tools to encourage the growth of youth apprenticeship programs aligned to the PAYA Definition & Principles for High-Quality Youth Apprenticeship.

The Network is a nationwide community of public-private partnerships activating youth apprenticeship programs across sectors and occupations. We are excited to welcome new members to the network including:

• Fort Zumwalt School District, located just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, offers apprenticeships to 70 young people in advanced manufacturing, healthcare and IT services.
• NevadaWorks, a workforce board serving Northern Nevada, utilizes Good Jobs Challenge funds and WIOA Title I funding to scale local apprenticeship programs for both in- and out-of-school youth.
• Lake Region State College, partners with the North Dakota Tribal College System (NDTCS) and the North Dakota Office of Career and Technical Education to develop apprenticeship programs in HVAC, skilled trades, auto technology, and nursing, among others.

Led by input from Network members, PAYA hosts a range of virtual and in-person opportunities to learn and collaborate, including meetups, in-person site visits, and virtual academies to support the sustainability and scaling of youth apprenticeship programs.

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