Apprenticeships have been around for decades—but for a long time, they haven’t kept pace with how work, training, and technology have evolved. That’s starting to change.
New digital tools are making apprenticeship programs more scalable, more accessible, and far more relevant to today’s workforce. In some cases, they’re even helping underserved populations—like individuals reentering the workforce after incarceration—gain the skills needed for stable, well-paying careers.
I spoke with Steve Meltzman of Connected Apprentice about how technology is reshaping apprenticeships—and what that means for small businesses struggling to find skilled workers.
Rieva Lesonsky: Apprenticeships have been around for decades, but they haven’t always kept pace with changes in the workforce. What’s driving the renewed interest in apprenticeships right now?
Steve Meltzman: Historically, many apprenticeship programs have been underfunded while demand for skilled labor ebbed and flowed. We’re now seeing explosive growth in data center and energy construction, along with an uptick in other construction projects.
Increasing labor shortages have generated a long overdue valuing of skilled labor. That labor builds critical infrastructure on which much innovation depends. An example I sometimes use is the railroads of the 1800’s, which were laborious and unglamorous projects necessary for industrialization and flourishing capitalism.
Lesonsky: You’ve been working on digital platforms to modernize apprenticeship programs. How is technology changing the way these programs are delivered and scaled?
Meltzman: The fundamentals of electrical switches and water valves have not changed for many years. However, there have been countless advancements in each trade specialty and practices; therefore, keeping training materials current has been nearly impossible.
I’m often told by the training centers we visit that they used to get pallets of books, which were occasionally outdated even before the shrink wrap came off. The advent of digital publishing, over-the-air content updates on iPads, integrated video, and centralized device control has completely transformed today’s instruction. Now, any size educational facility can afford iPad-based instruction; adding students and new materials is instant and quite cost-effective.
Lesonsky: One of the biggest challenges with traditional apprenticeships has been accessibility. How are tools like iPad-based training helping expand access, particularly for underserved populations, including individuals reentering the workforce after incarceration?
Meltzman: The best outcomes emerge from the best tools! iPad-based learning has set a new standard for engaging, effective, multimedia-based instruction that’s remarkably affordable when compared to legacy methods. Grants available from many public and private entities reduce or eliminate implementation expense. Cost per instructional hour has never been lower, and materials are kept current via over-the-air updates.
Lesonsky: From an employer’s perspective, what are the biggest advantages of apprenticeships compared to more traditional hiring and training methods?
Meltzman: In-house training is incredibly expensive when you look at personnel, materials, and soft costs. It also varies in quality and conformance to industry standards. Formalized apprenticeships are standardized and cost-effective because resources, equipment, and materials are shared across regions.
Lesonsky: Small businesses often struggle to find skilled workers. How can apprenticeships help address that challenge, and are these programs realistic for smaller employers to implement?
Meltzman: Apprenticeships offer a centralized pool of professionally and uniformly trained tradespeople. Small businesses can draw from these pools as needed to find the highest-quality workers, who are job-ready on day one.
Lesonsky: What are the biggest misconceptions employers have about apprenticeships today?
Meltzman: I believe that smart employers no longer have misconceptions about apprenticeships and now clearly see the value.
Lesonsky: What role do partnerships—between businesses, technology providers, and educational institutions—play in making modern apprenticeship programs successful?
Meltzman: Active collaborations between businesses, technology providers, and apprenticeships yield the most effective programs. Training facilities need guidance from employers to understand how industry standards, job sites, customer requirements, and technologies are ever-changing. Regular adjustments, like steering a moving automobile, ensure graduating apprentices are ideally prepared for their workplaces.
Lesonsky: Looking ahead, how do you see apprenticeships evolving over the next few years, particularly as technology continues to reshape training and workforce development?
Meltzman: Training technologies will produce higher-quality—“fully trained up”—workers more quickly. iPad-based training delivers incredibly engaging, multimedia instruction to digital natives who perform better academically on electronic platforms. Real-time, over-the-air curricula updates ensure that every course is as current as possible. Electronic interim knowledge checks allow instructors to identify knowledge gaps throughout training so that no one gets left behind.
Lesonsky: For small business owners who are interested but unsure where to start, what’s the first step in exploring or implementing an apprenticeship program?
Meltzman: That really depends on the company’s goals and size. Some businesses can leverage economies of scale by hiring experienced training staff and sharing instructional resources. The smallest businesses will likely find that a jointly operated apprenticeship makes the most sense, and those terrific programs often exist already in many geographic markets.
My Takeaway
Apprenticeships aren’t just making a comeback—they’re being reimagined. For small businesses, that’s a big opportunity. Instead of competing for a shrinking pool of skilled workers, employers can tap into structured, scalable training programs that produce job-ready talent. And with technology making these programs more accessible and cost-effective, apprenticeships are no longer just for large organizations—they’re becoming a practical solution for businesses of all sizes.
Rieva Lesonsky is the founder of Small Business Currents, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. You can find her on Twitter @Rieva, Bluesky @Rieva.bsky.social, and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.