The future of youth apprenticeship is taking shape at NYAS. Hear from the leaders driving new ideas, building stronger partnerships, and creating more powerful pathways from education to career. Explore the agenda, meet the speakers, and see what’s in store.

Additional session details and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Three days of ideas, connection, and action – this event is expected to sell out quickly.

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November 17, 2026

Day One

9:30am - 11:50am

Optional | Youth Apprenticeship 101 Workshop

The Youth Apprenticeship 101 workshop is designed for sites beginning their youth apprenticeship programs and covers the fundamental definitions and common applications of quality apprenticeship models. This interactive session will include recommended messaging of “why” youth apprenticeship is an effective talent development strategy for employers and how effective youth apprenticeship programs function. Participants will also have dedicated time to ask current apprenticeship intermediaries questions about how they engage employers and scale their youth apprenticeship partnerships.

A separate registration for this session is required.

12:30pm - 1:45pm

Opening Plenary | The State of Youth Apprenticeship in America

Brent Parton of CareerWise, and Taylor White of New America open the summit with a national look at where youth apprenticeship stands today. Together they'll assess the field's growth, persistent gaps, and the policy and market forces shaping what comes next for young people across the country. This plenary sets the stage for the summit's deeper conversations by grounding attendees in a shared, data-informed view of the field.

Brent Parton | President & CEO, CareerWise

Taylor White | Director, Postsecondary Pathways for Youth, New America

2:15pm - 3:15pm

Melissa Stowasser | VP for Community and Continuing Education, Trident Technical College
Audrey Webb | Director, Regional Workforce/Director of Work-Based Learning Programs, Alabama Community College System
Stephanie Loeck | Vice President of Strategic Development, GPS Education Partners
Dual enrollment lets youth apprentices earn college credit while they build real skills on the job, giving them a head start on both a career and a degree but access for students is far from universal. Panelists will share strategies for working across secondary and postsecondary stakeholders to build strong dual enrollment programs that align with youth apprenticeships, cut costs, reduce duplication, and boost student confidence.
Kai Zander | Director of Learning Solutions, Careerwise
Jennifer Carlson | Chief Executive Officer, Apprenti
Attendees leave seeing AI as a skill that can be taught, not just a tool young people happen to use. They'll have a clear picture of what the landscape says, clarity on the CareerWise learning journey, a direct view of employer concerns and needs from Apprenti, and prompts they can use right away to save time.
Ashley Carter | Founder and Principal, Pathfinder Strategies LLC
Stephanie Bothun | Chief Operating Officer, CareerWise
Claire J. Fiddian-Green | President & CEO, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
Kelly Vedi | Senior Director Policy, College Board
Recruiting employers one at a time can launch a youth apprenticeship program — but it rarely scales one. Ashley Carter, Claire Fiddian-Green, and Stephanie Bothun make the case for sector-based mobilization: organizing entire industries around youth apprenticeship to build shared training infrastructure, durable employer demand, and peer-to-peer momentum. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for when to pursue a sector strategy and how to activate the champions who make it work.
Janet Bray | Senior Advisor, National Association of Workforce Boards and ABA2 Grant SME
Kelly Middleton Banks | Technical Advisor, Apprenticeship and Workforce Programs, FHI360's Institute for Work and Learning (IWL)
Traci Marques | Senior Advisor, National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB)
As communities work to address growing workforce shortages in youth-serving and mental health professions, apprenticeship is emerging as a powerful strategy for developing the next generation of talent. This session explores how apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship models are creating career opportunities for youth and young adults while strengthening the workforce that supports them. Participants will learn how earn-and-learn pathways can help organizations recruit, train, and retain workers in critical youth-serving occupations, including youth development and behavioral health roles. Through real-world examples, discussion, and audience engagement, attendees will gain practical strategies for leveraging apprenticeship as a solution to workforce challenges and expanding economic opportunity for young people in their communities.
Jonathan Voss | Principal, Voss Strategies
What makes families see youth apprenticeships as a path worth pursuing? This session unveils new findings from national survey research and focus groups with parents and students exploring their attitudes toward apprenticeship programs and how the messages resonate. We'll unpack which benefits and qualities of youth apprenticeships matter most to families, and review messaging recommendations for talking about apprenticeships in ways that build genuine interest and support. Attendees will leave with a research-backed framework for positioning apprenticeships as a compelling option for students and their families to consider.
Lisa Dillman | Senior Director, Equal Measure
How do practitioners, employers, educators, and intermediaries seek better ways to understand what contributes to high-quality experiences, strong outcomes, and equitable access to opportunity?
This interactive session introduces the Apprenticeship Measurement Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help youth apprenticeship programs, practitioners, and partnerships identify meaningful indicators of success, strengthen continuous improvement efforts, and better understand participant experiences and outcomes. The toolkit supports organizations in examining not only overall progress, but also who is being served, where disparities may exist, and how program design and supports can promote more equitable outcomes.
This working session will combine an overview of the toolkit with opportunities for participants to engage directly with its concepts, measures, and tools. Through facilitated discussion, interactive feedback activities, and Q&A, attendees will help inform the ongoing refinement of the toolkit while reflecting on how it could support learning, improvement, and decision-making within their own organizations and partnerships.
Participants will leave with practical ideas for using data to improve program quality, advance equitable outcomes, and demonstrate the value of youth apprenticeship initiatives to learners, employers, educators, funders, and community partners.

Breakouts | Round One

3:45pm - 5:00pm

Closing Plenary | State Leadership on Why, Now and What Will it Take?

Colorado Attorney General and Democratic nominee for Governor Phil Weiser joins this plenary session to discuss why youth apprenticeship matters to state leaders and what it will take to scale it statewide. The conversation will explore the policy and political will needed to embed career-connected learning as a core state priority. Attendees will gain insight into how state leadership can accelerate — or stall — apprenticeship expansion.

Noel Ginsburg | Founder and Executive Chairman, CareerWise

Phil Weiser | Colorado Attorney General

Day 1 Speakers

Brent Parton

CareerWise
President & CEO
Speaker Bio
Taylor White

New America
Director, Postsecondary Pathways for Youth
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Loeck

GPS Education Partners
Vice President of Strategic Development
Speaker Bio
Kai Zander

CareerWise
Director of Learning Solutions
Speaker Bio
Jennifer Carlson

Apprenti
Chief Executive Officer
Speaker Bio
Ashley Carter

Pathfinder Strategies
Founder and Principal
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Bothun

CareerWise
Chief Operating Officer
Speaker Bio
Claire J. Fiddian-Green

Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
President & CEO
Speaker Bio
Traci Marques

National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB)
Senior Advisor
Speaker Bio
Jonathan Voss

Voss Strategies
Founder
Speaker Bio
Lisa Dillman

Equal Measure
Senior Director
Speaker Bio

November 18, 2026

Day Two

8:30am - 9:15am

Opening Plenary | Apprenticeship as a Feature of Education Innovation

This panel brings together leaders across higher education, K-12, and workforce policy to explore how apprenticeship is becoming a core design element of education innovation rather than an add-on. Panelists will discuss what it takes to embed work-based learning into institutional strategy at scale, from state systems to national education platforms. Attendees will leave with a cross-sector view of how apprenticeship can reshape pathways from K-12 through higher education.

Jane Martínez Dowling | Chief of Student Pathways, New York City Public Schools

Kim Hunter Reed | Commissioner of Higher Education, Louisiana Board of Regents

Lauren Weber | Director of Public Research, Burning Glass Institute

9:30am - 12:00pm

Built out of the NexGen Advanced Manufacturing Collective, the CoorsTek Training Academy translates real employer needs—identified by nearly two dozen manufacturers—into training that works for everyone. Beyond preparing technicians for industry-recognized credentials, this employer-informed approach shapes curriculum in local school districts, giving students access to higher-quality, work-based learning tied directly to the skills employers are hiring for.
Why attend: See apprentices in action on the production floor and learn how a global manufacturer is creating career pathways that meet today's workforce needs.
Limited to 50 attendees.
Explore how apprenticeship is transforming the future of banking and financial services. During this exclusive visit to Vectra Bank, you'll meet apprentices and business leaders who are redefining talent development through earn-and-learn opportunities. Learn how apprenticeship is helping attract, develop, and retain skilled professionals in a rapidly evolving industry.
Why attend: Gain practical insights from a financial institution using apprenticeship to build a stronger workforce while creating meaningful career opportunities.
Limited to 50 attendees.
See how apprenticeship is thriving in corporate and professional services environments. At Pinnacol Assurance, you'll learn how apprenticeship programs are developing talent across business functions while creating equitable pathways into high-demand careers. Hear directly from apprentices and leaders about the impact of work-based learning on business outcomes and employee growth.
Why attend: Discover innovative approaches to apprenticeship in insurance, operations, technology, and professional services.
Limited to 50 attendees.
Experience one of the nation's most innovative career-connected learning environments. Cherry Creek Innovation Campus gives students hands-on experience in high-demand industries while earning credentials and preparing for apprenticeships and careers. See classrooms transformed into real-world workspaces and witness students developing the skills employers need most.
Why attend: Meet future talent, see career-connected education in action, and explore how education and industry partnerships are building the workforce pipeline of tomorrow.
Limited to 100 attendees.
Adrian Bojórquez Horn | Program Manager, Maine Department of Labor
Rana Tarkenton | Chief Executive Officer, The Attainment Network
Erik Williams | Community Development Director, Vail Valley Partnership
Vanessa Bennett | Director, Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, JFF
Rural communities are essential to growing apprenticeship and increasing youth and young adult access to these important earn and learn pathways. But the playbook that works in urban areas doesn’t always translate. Smaller population densities, fewer large employers, longer distances between work and education sites, and thinner intermediary capacity mean rural practitioners have to build differently.
This interactive session starts with a fast look at what it means to be “rural” and what the data shows about apprenticeship access in these communities. Practitioners from across the country will take the stage to share what's actually worked and what hasn’t in building apprenticeship pathways for young people on the ground. Attendees will then have the chance to participate in small-group breakouts focused on problem-solving the challenges attendees are facing in their own work.
MK Sagaria-Barritt | Senior Consultant, Degree Apprenticeship, CareerWise
Laura Ergle | College & Career Readiness Specialist, Office of Rural Education & Innovation
Kristen Gundel | Teacher Apprenticeship Specialist, Colorado Dept of Education
Devon Spaulding | Director of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator Garfield County School District RE-2
Registered Apprenticeships are transforming how rural communities recruit, prepare, and retain top teaching talent from within their own backyards. In this session, state education leaders from Alabama, Georgia, and Colorado explore how they are leveraging youth and adult apprenticeship pathways to address rural educator shortages, expand access to degree attainment, and align cross-agency systems. Building on these multi-state insights, attendees will examine an active Colorado rural teacher degree apprenticeship program to see firsthand what this model looks like locally.

Site Visits & Breakouts

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Sarah Oldmixon | Principal, Oldmixon Consulting
Stephanie Gomez | Director, Career Launch Chicago, City Colleges of Chicago
Ali Sillas | Director Of Youth Behavioral Health And Wellbeing, Future Focused Education
This session draws on findings from a recent publication on Opportunity Youth from New America. Join the paper’s author, Sarah Oldmixon, and youth apprenticeship experts in a conversation exploring why youth apprenticeship is a promising option for keeping young people connected to school and work and what it would take to fully realize its promise.
Tom Kriger, PhD | Director of Education and Research, NABTU
Noel Ginsburg | Founder and Executive Board Chair, CareerWise
Alexandra Peek | Vice President of Product and Technology, CareerWise
Tal Goldhammer | Founder + CEO, Find The Tailwind
See how AI is expanding apprenticeship at both ends: helping young people find their way in, and helping employers build the programs. After a keynote from former EY Americas talent leader Tal Goldhammer and live demos from CareerWise and NABTU, you’ll try JOBS Machine and PathWiseIQ yourself at hands-on tables.
What You’ll Take Away
- A practical view of where AI can help students, counselors, and employers today
- Hands-on time with two AI tools: one for exploring the building trades, one for building an apprenticeship
- A draft training plan your table creates live
Who Should Attend
Employers, intermediaries, school and district leaders, counselors, funders, and workforce policy leaders. No technical background needed.
Meredith Smith | Director, Alabama Office of Apprenticeship
Audrey Webb | Director, Regional Workforce/Director of Work-Based Learning Programs, Alabama Community College System
Lindsey Dowling | Sr. Representative, Learning & Development, Arcelor Mittal
Ricardo Romero | Work-Based Learning Specialist, Education Service Center 13 (Austin, TX)
Maggie Howard | Director of CCMR, CTE, and P-TECH, Elgin ISD
Youth apprenticeship puts employment at the center of learning, with students hired, paid, and trained while they finish high school and begin college. They build lasting skills alongside seasoned professionals, earn college credits and credentials, and often step straight into a job and a career. None of that works without employers who are invested from day one. This session looks at why bringing employers into program design early leads to programs that fit what students and businesses actually need, and what it takes to find the right partners and keep them engaged.
Ev Zaruba | Former Business Operations & HR Apprentice, The Gallegos Corporation and Former PAYA Youth Council Member (moderator)
Yodit Tewolde | IT Technician Apprentice, Denver Public Schools and 2026–27 PAYA Youth Council Member
Maria Rogahn | Assistant Director of Learning by Doing, Capstone Project Manager, Future Focused Education
Ellen Kaufman | Youth Apprenticeship and Marketing Coordinator, Trident Technical College
Meaningful youth engagement involves more than inviting young people to the table—it requires creating the conditions for their perspectives to shape the programs that affect them. In this session, current youth apprentices and program leaders will share insights on building equitable partnerships that center young people’s experiences, ideas, and priorities in program design. Panelists will explore strategies for reducing barriers to participation, ensuring diverse voices inform decision-making, and turning youth feedback into meaningful action. Attendees will leave with practical approaches to partnering with young people as co-creators of apprenticeship programs that are more inclusive, responsive, and equitable.
Jonathan Payne | Director, Jobs for the Future
Andrew Krantz | Researcher, Mathematica
This session spotlights the first comprehensive, U.S.-based national study of high-quality youth apprenticeships. This research, funded by leading national foundations, explores the outcomes of youth apprenticeship programs for young people and employers alike. The interactive panel will engage participants in shaping how findings are shared with the field—ensuring that evidence translates into actionable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and funders.
Audience: Employers considering or implementing youth apprenticeship programs; workforce and education leaders; funders and investors interested in youth workforce development; policymakers and advocates expanding apprenticeship pathways.
Nithya Govindasamy | Senior Director of Policy, Advance CTE
Heather Justice | Senior Director Career Readiness, Education Strategy Group
To prepare learners for high-value careers, education and workforce systems must build seamless bridges between high school coursework, postsecondary learning, and hands-on industry experience. Too often, career pathways and youth apprenticeship program operate in isolated silos rather than as an integrated student journey.
Join representatives from Education Strategy Group (ESG) and Advance CTE for an interactive breakout session focused on driving system-level alignment across career pathways, CTE, and apprenticeships. Drawing key insights from ESG’s Connected by Design report and Advance CTE’s Connecting Apprenticeship and CTE report, presenters will share actionable strategies for embedding youth apprenticeships into academic and technical pathways. Participants will then join an interactive activity to evaluate their local alignment gaps and sketch out a connected framework for learners.

Breakouts | Round Two

2:30pm - 3:30pm

Sarah Grobbel | VP of Consulting, CareerWise
Harini Venkatesh | Executive Director, Career Connected Learning NYC Public Schools
Kathy Gannon | Partnership Manager & Apprenticeship Supervisor, Township High School District 214
Before a young person can thrive in an apprenticeship, their school has to be ready to launch them. This session puts school leaders at the center of the youth apprenticeship movement, exploring what it takes to build an apprenticeship-ready school and why doing so can transform outcomes for students. School leaders from Illinois, Maryland, and New York City Public Schools, the nation's largest district, will share how they are embedding apprenticeship readiness into the student experience, from early career exposure to the skills and confidence students need before day one on the job. Attendees will dig into what readiness requires from schools, including counseling, scheduling, employer engagement, and career navigation, and leave with practical strategies that districts of any size can adapt to turn student interest into successful apprenticeship placements.
Alexandra Simon | Senior Policy Analyst, New America
Becca Huntting | Vice President of Impact, CareerWise
Marissa Ulrich | Director of Leadership & Cultural Development, Patrick Industries
Youth apprenticeship offers benefits beyond developing a skilled talent pipeline, yet many of these less tangible returns are rarely measured. In this session, New America and CareerWise will share findings from their recent report, Employers Report Four Indirect Benefits of Youth Apprenticeship, highlighting the broader value employers experience. An employer will share firsthand insights into these benefits. Presenters will also explore practical ways intermediaries and apprenticeship programs can work with employers to collect data, document indirect benefits, and use these insights to strengthen employer engagement and support program sustainability.
Lancy Downs | Senior Policy Analyst, New America
Courtney Newton | Director of Next Generation Learning 6–12, Nelson County Schools
Dr. Cindy Gutierrez | Assistant Dean of Teacher Education & Partnerships, School of Education & Human Development, University of Colorado Denver
As districts work to address educator shortages, teacher apprenticeships for youth offer a promising pathway to grow the next generation of educators—especially in communities where retaining local talent is essential. In this session, program leaders from Kentucky and Colorado will share their approaches to designing and implementing high-quality teacher apprenticeship pathways beginning in high school. Discussion topics will include building effective partnerships between higher education institutions, school districts, and state agencies; strategies for braiding funding to ensure long-term affordability and sustainability for all partners; and how to connect youth apprenticeships in teaching to adult programs after high school graduation.
Brittany Brady | Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
No one makes the case for apprenticeship better than the young people living it. In this session, apprentices take the stage to share their own career mobility stories — how earning while learning helped them skip the slow lane, land real responsibility early, and advance faster than their peers on traditional paths. Panelists will speak candidly about where they started, the doubts they faced, and the moments their trajectory changed, from first interviews to promotions that came years ahead of schedule. Attendees will leave with a firsthand understanding of what acceleration actually looks like for young people — and the stories to bring back to students, families, and employers who are still asking whether apprenticeship pays off.
Zach Boren | Senior Vice President, Apprenticeship for America
Federal apprenticeship policy is evolving fast — and for practitioners on the ground, interpreting what it all means can be half the battle. This session breaks down current federal guidance on registered apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship: how the two are defined and where they intersect, what compliance actually requires, and which federal funding streams programs can tap. Zach Boron from AFA will translate the fine print into practical terms, flag recent shifts practitioners need to know, and share how programs across the country are navigating the registered/youth apprenticeship relationship. Attendees will leave with a working understanding of the federal landscape and clearer answers to bring back to their partners, employers, and state agencies.
Tara Bell | Director of Advanced Academics and Career Pathways, Cherry Creek School District
Alex Maggos | Vice President of Workforce Strategies, Ascend Indiana
What students need to graduate shapes what they have time to explore. Indiana and Colorado have taken bold steps to rethink high school graduation requirements, creating new room for work-based learning and youth apprenticeship. This session brings together leaders from both states to share what changed, how the policies came together, and what implementation looks like on the ground. Attendees will leave with lessons and practical insights for advancing similar policy in their own states.

Breakouts | Round Three

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Closing Plenary | Prescription for Talent: Healthcare CEOs on Building the Apprenticeship Pipeline

Healthcare executives face mounting workforce shortages even as youth apprenticeship offers a proven pathway to build talent from within. This panel, moderated by Colorado Thrives, brings together healthcare CEOs to share how they're designing and scaling apprenticeship programs to meet critical staffing needs. Attendees will leave with practical insights on securing executive buy-in and building sustainable healthcare talent pipelines.

Christine Heintz | Chief Executive Officer, Colorado Thrives

Day 2 Speakers

Jane Martínez Dowling

New York City Public Schools
Chief of Student Pathways
Speaker Bio
Lauren Weber

Burning Glass Institute
Director of Public Research
Speaker Bio
Adrian Bojórquez Horn

Maine Department of Labor
Program Manager
Speaker Bio
MK Sagaria-Barritt

CareerWise
Senior Consultant, Degree Apprenticeship
Speaker Bio
Laura Ergle

Office of Rural Education & Innovation
College & Career Readiness Specialist
Speaker Bio
Sarah Oldmixon

Oldmixon Consulting
Principal
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Gomez

Career Launch Chicago,
City Colleges of Chicago
Director
Speaker Bio
Ali Sillas, LCSW

Future Focused Education
Director Of Youth Behavioral Health And Wellbeing
Speaker Bio
Noel Ginsburg

CareerWise
Founder and Executive Board Chair
Speaker Bio
Alexandra Peek

CareerWise
Vice President of Product and Technology
Speaker Bio
Tal Goldhammer

Find The Tailwind
Founder + CEO
Speaker Bio
Lindsey Dowling

Arcelor Mittal
Sr. Representative, Learning & Development
Speaker Bio
Ricardo Romero

Education Service Center 13 (Austin, TX)
Work-Based Learning Specialist
Speaker Bio
Maggie Howard

Elgin ISD
Director of CCMR, CTE, and P-TECH
Speaker Bio
Lancy Downs

New America
Senior Policy Analyst
Speaker Bio
Courtney Newton

Nelson County Schools
Director of Next Generation Learning (6–12)
Speaker Bio
Dr. Cindy Gutierrez

University of Colorado Denver
Assistant Dean of Teacher Education & Partnerships, School of Education & Human Development
Speaker Bio
Brittany Brady

National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
Chief Executive Officer
Speaker Bio
Zach Boren

Apprenticeship for America
Senior Vice President
Speaker Bio
Jonathan Payne

Jobs for the Future
Director
Speaker Bio
Andrew Krantz

Mathematica
Researcher
Speaker Bio
Nithya Govindasamy

Advance CTE
Senior Director of Policy
Speaker Bio
Heather Justice

Education Strategy Group
Senior Director Career Readiness
Speaker Bio
Sarah Grobbel

CareerWise
VP of Consulting
Speaker Bio
Harini Venkatesh

Career Connected Learning NYC Public Schools
Executive Director
Speaker Bio
Alexandra Simon

New America
Senior Policy Analyst
Speaker Bio
Becca Huntting

CareerWise
Vice President of Impact
Speaker Bio
Marissa Ulrich

Patrick Industries
Director of Leadership & Cultural Development
Speaker Bio

November 19, 2026

Day Three

9:00am - 9:45am

Opening Plenary | Future of the First Job: How AI Forces Are Shaping the Labor Market

The transition from high school into further education, training, and work is changing. Technology and AI, shifting employer needs, and broader labor market trends are reshaping the early career experience and raising new questions about how young people gain the skills, experience, and connections they need to get ahead. This plenary will bring together leading voices with different perspectives to examine what is changing, what may be overhyped, and what these shifts mean for the education and training pathways young people will need to succeed.

10:15am - 11:15am

Ginger Avila | Director, Jobs for the Future
Shanell Brumfield | ECEPTS
Ricardo Romero | Work-Based Learning Specialist, Education Service Center 13 (Austin, TX)
Adrian Bojórquez Horn | Program Manager, Maine Department of Labor
This session will explore how pre-apprenticeship programs prepare young people for registered apprenticeship, further education, and employment. It will open with an overview of Jobs for the Future (JFF)’s framework for high-quality pre-apprenticeship and learnings from their recent Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) grant. Presenters will then discuss promising practices from three pre-apprenticeship program examples across different states and occupations, highlighting program design, key partnerships, and strategies for supporting young people’s next steps.
Deborah Kobes | Senior Fellow, Urban Institute
This session will explore how youth apprenticeship programs can equitably adapt to an economy increasingly shaped by AI. Experts will examine how to develop programs for emerging AI-focused occupations and integrate AI skills across their apprenticeships. We will also spotlight how educators are leaning into youth apprenticeship as a strategy to develop resilient human capital in a time of uncertainty. While the session will focus on program design lessons, lessons from practitioners may also be of interest to policy leaders.
Stephanie Klein | Senior Director of Business Partnerships, CareerWise
Josh Miller | Ohio Advances Manufacturing Association
Annette Gaynes | Excellence Manager, Caterpillar
Sara Baese | Apprentice Learning & Development Advisor, Stadler
Advanced manufacturing can't hire its way out of a talent shortage — it has to build its own pipeline. Leaders from Utah, CoorsTek, and the Ohio Manufacturers' Association share how manufacturers are investing directly in youth apprenticeship to create sustainable talent systems, from single-company programs to statewide sector partnerships. Attendees will hear what makes the ROI case work for employers, how to structure training investments that outlast any one hiring cycle, and what it takes to make apprenticeship standard practice across an industry.
Ivy Love | Senior Policy Analyst, New America
Marshall Behringer | Manager, Partnerships and Consulting Services, Work Forward
Crystal Folger-Hawks | Surry-Yadkin Works, Executive Director
Youth apprenticeship can offer young people more than a first job in health care. It can create a pathway for continued skill-building, credential attainment, and advancement into higher-skilled health professions. In this session, panelists will explore what it takes to design and sustain health care youth apprenticeship pathways, from launching a first program to building opportunities for progression across occupations. Attendees will leave with practical insights from two different states and occupational contexts to help them build or strengthen accessible health care apprenticeship pathways.
Unions built the American apprenticeship model, and they have a defining role to play in extending it to young people. This session brings together labor leaders from education and the building trades to explore how unions are aligning with youth apprenticeship: opening earlier entry points into registered programs, ensuring quality training and fair wages remain at the core, and championing young workers as the future of the labor movement. Speakers will discuss where union apprenticeship and youth pathways already connect, where tensions and misconceptions get in the way, and how educators, intermediaries, and labor can partner rather than operate in parallel. Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of labor's stake in youth apprenticeship and practical ways to bring unions to the table in their own communities.
States are where registered apprenticeship for young people gets built, and no two are building it the same way. This session brings together state leaders from Kansas, Alabama, and North Carolina to compare how they're advancing apprenticeship for young people: the governance structures, funding strategies, and policy choices driving growth in three very different contexts. Panelists will share what's working, what they'd do differently, and how they're navigating the relationship between K–12 systems, workforce agencies, and employers at the state level. The conversation will surface lessons any state can adapt, whether just getting started or ready to scale. Attendees will leave with concrete models, honest cautionary tales, and contacts in three states leading the way.

Breakouts | Round Four

11:45am - 12:30pm

Closing Plenary | From the Front Lines: Youth and Family Voices on Apprenticeships in Action

Youth apprentices know better than anyone what it's like to learn a trade or profession while earning a paycheck and building a future, and the parents and community members who back them see that journey up close. In this session, apprentices and the people in their corner share firsthand accounts of what drew them to the apprenticeship path, the challenges they've navigated together, and the impact it's had on their careers, confidence, and families. Attendees will hear directly from the young people apprenticeship is designed for and those who support them, grounding the summit's policy and program discussions in real, lived experience.

Day 3 Speakers

Ginger Avila

Jobs for the Future
Director
Speaker Bio
Ricardo Romero

Education Service Center 13 (Austin, TX)
Work-Based Learning Specialist
Speaker Bio
Adrian Bojórquez Horn

Maine Department of Labor
Program Manager
Speaker Bio
Ivy Love

New America
Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Education & Labor
Speaker Bio
Crystal Folger-Hawks

Surry-Yadkin Works
Executive Director
Speaker Bio
Deborah Kobes

Urban Institute
Senior Fellow
Speaker Bio
Stephanie Klein

CareerWise
Senior Director of Business Partnerships
Speaker Bio

Why Attend?

NYAS brings together the people, ideas, and real-world examples shaping the future of youth apprenticeship. Explore sessions, speakers, and experiences designed to spark new thinking, share practical strategies, and help turn momentum into action.

SECURE YOUR SPOT →

Day One

Optional | Youth Apprenticeship 101 Workshop

Opening Plenary | The State of Youth Apprenticeship in America

Breakouts | Round One

Closing Plenary | State Leadership on Why, Now and What Will it Take?

Brent Parton

Taylor White

Stephanie Loeck

Kai Zander

Jennifer Carlson

Ashley Carter

Stephanie Bothun

Claire J. Fiddian-Green

Traci Marques

Jonathan Voss

Lisa Dillman

Day Two

Opening Plenary | Apprenticeship as a Feature of Education Innovation

Site Visits & Breakouts

Breakouts | Round Two

Breakouts | Round Three

Closing Plenary | Prescription for Talent: Healthcare CEOs on Building the Apprenticeship Pipeline

Jane Martínez Dowling

Lauren Weber

Adrian Bojórquez Horn

MK Sagaria-Barritt

Laura Ergle

Sarah Oldmixon

Stephanie Gomez

Ali Sillas, LCSW

Noel Ginsburg

Alexandra Peek

Tal Goldhammer

Lindsey Dowling

Ricardo Romero

Maggie Howard

Lancy Downs

Courtney Newton

Dr. Cindy Gutierrez

Brittany Brady

Zach Boren

Jonathan Payne

Andrew Krantz

Nithya Govindasamy

Heather Justice

Sarah Grobbel

Harini Venkatesh

Alexandra Simon

Becca Huntting

Marissa Ulrich

Day Three

Opening Plenary | Future of the First Job: How AI Forces Are Shaping the Labor Market

Breakouts | Round Four

Closing Plenary | From the Front Lines: Youth and Family Voices on Apprenticeships in Action

Ginger Avila

Ricardo Romero

Adrian Bojórquez Horn

Ivy Love

Crystal Folger-Hawks

Deborah Kobes

Stephanie Klein

Why Attend?