Pre-Apprenticeship as a Lever for Workforce Equity: A Quantitative Study of Non-Traditional Adult Learners in California
type: CreativeWork
description: A pre-apprenticeship is a short-term, structured training program that prepares individuals with the skills, experience, and support needed to enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship. Nationally, and in California, pre-apprenticeship programs are posited as a key equity strategy to increase access and opportunity for populations who have experienced historical barriers to successful participation in registered apprenticeship programs. However, there is limited empirical research on this topic, especially in a statewide context involving non-traditional adult learners enrolled in California adult school settings. Nontraditional adult learners are typically over the age of 25, with multiple barriers to completing education goals. Nontraditional learners represent a diverse and growing demographic within adult education institutions in the United States. Typically older than traditional college students, they face unique challenges, such as balancing work and family responsibilities, financial pressures, and lower academic preparation (Choy, 2002; Crisp, 2010; Wyatt, 2011). California’s adult education system is currently supporting over 600,000 non-traditional learners; however, reaching the 6.8 million adults without an education or workforce credential remains a significant challenge. Therefore, research on accelerated workforce training models and the implementation of evidence-based promising practices is both valuable and timely. This was a quantitative, non-experimental study using inferential analyses to examine group differences and associations among demographic and outcome variables. The purpose of the study was to gain insights into participant success in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs from both a statewide, macro perspective, as well as from a local educational agency (LEA), micro perspective. The statewide lens included descriptive analyses of trends relating to overall California participant demographics and rates of completion. …
abstract: A pre-apprenticeship is a short-term, structured training program that prepares individuals with the skills, experience, and support needed to enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship. Nationally, and in California, pre-apprenticeship programs are posited as a key equity strategy to increase access and opportunity for populations who have experienced historical barriers to successful participation in registered apprenticeship programs. However, there is limited empirical research on this topic, especially in a statewide context involving non-traditional adult learners enrolled in California adult school settings. Nontraditional adult learners are typically over the age of 25, with multiple barriers to completing education goals. Nontraditional learners represent a diverse and growing demographic within adult education institutions in the United States. Typically older than traditional college students, they face unique challenges, such as balancing work and family responsibilities, financial pressures, and lower academic preparation (Choy, 2002; Crisp, 2010; Wyatt, 2011). California’s adult education system is currently supporting over 600,000 non-traditional learners; however, reaching the 6.8 million adults without an education or workforce credential remains a significant challenge. Therefore, research on accelerated workforce training models and the implementation of evidence-based promising practices is both valuable and timely. This was a quantitative, non-experimental study using inferential analyses to examine group differences and associations among demographic and outcome variables. The purpose of the study was to gain insights into participant success in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs from both a statewide, macro perspective, as well as from a local educational agency (LEA), micro perspective. The statewide lens included descriptive analyses of trends relating to overall California participant demographics and rates of completion. …
author: Stark, Joseph
keywords: adult education, andragogy, apprenticeships, non-traditional adult learner, persistence, pre-apprenticeships, Educational Leadership
date published: 2025-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:41:09Z
provider: Claremont Graduate University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Claremont Graduate University