Old ways, new gains: US apprenticeships expand, ancient Dutch crop revives

1. United States

Apprentice programs are giving young people lucrative career paths while filling employment holes. Registered apprentice programs are highly successful: 93% of apprentices are employed after their training, earning an average starting salary of $77,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In the decade following 2009, the number of training programs increased by 73%, with over 3,000 added in 2020 alone.

One fire department in southern Oregon doubled staffing this year through apprenticeships, after experiencing a serious first responder shortage. Prohibitive costs borne