At United Airlines, I work with some of the most talented professionals our country has to offer. The pathways to our careers at United are as different as the members of our workforce — and that’s part of what makes us a strong and successful team.
One such pathway is through our apprenticeship programs. High-quality apprenticeships allow workers to train alongside experts to develop the skills and pursue the credentials they need to succeed, all while earning a wage.
In turn, they allow employers to create a talent pipeline that is tailored to their specific needs. Through structured training and mentorship, apprentices become well-prepared employees who can hit the ground running. This November we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, and I encourage my fellow business leaders to commit to expanding this career pathway for more Americans.
At United, we recently launched the Calibrate Apprenticeship, a full-time, paid apprenticeship program where participants learn the skills and earn the credentials necessary to be successful aviation technicians. They work with state-of-the-art aircraft, ground service equipment or facilities equipment.
Designed in partnership with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Federal Aviation Administration, the program is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and offers a great example of private and public sector collaboration.
United isn’t alone. I chair the Education and Workforce Committee at Business Roundtable, an organization whose members comprise more than 200 CEOs of large, U.S.-based companies. Business Roundtable members are committed to expanding career pathways for more Americans, including through high-quality apprenticeships.
Last year, Business Roundtable launched the Apprenticeship Accelerator initiative to help companies develop and expand registered apprenticeships, in particular, to support the career development of workers without a four-year college degree.
Along with employers, policymakers also have a key role in incentivizing effective apprenticeship programs. First, Congress should come together to modernize the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the cornerstone of the public workforce development system that is too inefficient and bureaucratic to deliver the workforce training and skills-building that we need to maintain America’s economic competitiveness.
Among other reforms, policymakers need to shift Workforce Innovation and Opportunity resources to support more on-the-job training programs. The business community must do its part to make these programs successful, including by identifying the skills workers need for upwardly mobile careers.
Policymakers also must work to make the Registered Apprenticeship system more accessible for employers. For example, Congress could grant employers and other apprenticeship sponsors greater flexibility to administer multi-state apprenticeship programs governed by common standards and reform the current unwieldy system where requirements vary state by state.
Apprenticeships are a win-win for individuals, businesses and society. Together, we can build a more skilled and prosperous future for all Americans.
Scott Kirby is chief executive officer of United Airlines and chair of the Business Roundtable Education and Workforce Committee.
The Sun-Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-eds. See our guidelines.
The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Sun-Times or any of its affiliates.
