Jobs for the Future

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems.  JFF provides consulting and strategy services to promote economic advancement and college and career readiness. As part of its approach, JFF runs the Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning, which analyzes labor market information, shares innovative solutions through national networks, and shapes policy that strengthens the labor market at the federal, state, and local level. JFF is leveraging its American Apprenticeship Initiative grant to expand registered apprenticeship in states and to bring in more partners to support the work at the local level, with a focus on sustainability and accountability of existing and new programs.  

JFF and its grant partners are focusing on recruiting and training new and incumbent workers to increase the number of skilled workers in area of manufacturing through their Industrial Manufacturing Technician (IMT) hybrid apprenticeship.  They are employing a network model to train IMT apprentices in 16 states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.  While JFF’s apprenticeship programs cover several occupations, its IMT apprenticeship program is its most expansive and successful apprenticeship program.  

Note: In 2015, building on historic bipartisan support from Congress for “earn and learn” training opportunities, the U.S. Department of Labor launched the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI), which awarded $175 million to 46 public-private partnerships across the country.  These grants are financed by a user fee paid by employers to hire foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B non-immigrant visa program. This initiative is intended to provide a catalyst in supporting a uniquely American Apprenticeship system that meets our country’s particular economic, industry, and workforce needs. American Apprenticeships (also referred to as Registered Apprenticeships) are innovative work-based learning and post-secondary earn-and- learn models that meet national standards for registration with the U.S. Department of Labor (or federally recognized State Apprenticeship Agencies).