At the GAN, our experience has shown that the term “apprenticeship” is either misunderstood or does not exist at all in many places around the world. Apprenticeship may even carry a negative stigma in many cultures, with an attitude that it is an outdated form of training, specific to only a few sectors in manufacturing, construction and manual labor and meant only for those who were not “smart enough” to go to college.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. A myriad of industries are increasingly using apprenticeships around the world in the technical, administrative, creative and social service arenas. To reflect the evolving nature of apprenticeships and its recent comeback in many countries, we are finding that new terminology is being applied to reflect the variety of its forms and capacities.

For example, in Indonesia, the specific word for apprenticeship does not exist. Instead, they use the all-encompassing term “pemagangan,” which may include concepts such as on-the-job training, job/career readiness training, traineeship, internship, etc. In Africa, the terms attachment, learnership, and placement are more preferable. Other countries have adopted terms such as artisanship. Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, in the US state of Colorado, the term “residency” is being applied and extended to several non-traditional apprenticeship sectors including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, banking and finance.

At its core, all of these terms describe employer-driven and employer-provided training for young workers who lack prior experience, to help them develop skills and learn how to operate successfully in that specific workplace. Particularly as the global economy still struggles to recover from the 2008 recession, it is becoming more and more common for employers to offer this type of training, and for youth to seek this type of opportunity.

This form of work readiness training is a benefit for both employers and their apprentices. Employers can cultivate the specific skill set they are looking for in their workforce and choose from among a pool of trained and talented candidates when deciding to make a hire. Young workers, on the other hand, can explore various industries and gain experience without accruing the significant student loan debt involved in getting a college degree. This is especially crucial for youth who are unsure about what to choose for a major.

Many countries are undergoing what we’ve been calling a renaissance in apprenticeship, and we have been astounded by the interest we have been receiving from companies and governments around the world. The global youth unemployment rates are still at crisis level, but with increased awareness and renewed interest in apprenticeships, together we can shift the tide and begin a Global Apprenticeship Movement to meet the needs of both employers and young people.

Originally published by GAN4Youth at LinkedIn.