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Youth Apprenticeship

The DOES Youth Apprenticeship is for graduating seniors at DC Public Schools and DC public charter schools. Apprentices combine on-the-job training with related academic and technical classroom education.

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A program of

DC Youth Apprenticeship Program Apprenticeship DC
Duration
February to May 2027, up to 16 hours a week
Training
200 hours of paid on-the-job training plus technical classroom instruction
Pay
$18.40 an hour, paid bi-weekly
Places
Limited to 100 participants, first come first served

About the program

What the DOES Youth Apprenticeship is

The Department of Employment Services (DOES) Youth Apprenticeship Program (YAP) is an innovative educational initiative that provides qualified graduating seniors from the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and District of Columbia Public Charter Schools (DCPCS) with the opportunity to begin training in a registered apprenticeship occupation. The program combines paid on-the-job training with related academic instruction focused on industry-specific training, enabling students to gain valuable workforce experience while preparing for long-term career success.

Applications open soon

The window below is when you can apply. Miss it and the next one is announced here first.

Application opens September 21 2026
Application closes December 1 2026
Apply Now

Occupations

Traditional and non-traditional apprenticeships

Traditional apprenticeships combine hands-on training with classroom instruction to prepare you for careers in high-demand trades. Non-traditional ones run in a growing range of industries, with structured pathways into emerging and expanding fields.

Traditional

Trades such as

  • Construction
  • Electrical
  • Carpentry
  • Plumbing
  • Heavy equipment operation

Non-traditional

Fields such as

  • Information technology
  • Hospitality
  • Healthcare
  • Clean energy

Neither list is exhaustive. To explore apprenticeship opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional occupations, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Occupations page at apprenticeship.gov.

Tavon Williams at a fibre splicing bench, in a hard hat and high-visibility vest.

Graduate story

When asked what motivated him initially, Mr. Williams shared that he simply wanted “a chance to prove myself” and to become something other than “a product of my environment.” That motivation carried him through a steep early learning curve — blueprint reading, construction layouts, and traffic signal systems which he found challenging but manageable with time and consistency. He described transitioning into a full eight-hour workday as the moment the opportunity felt real, and he expressed pride in earning his OSHA 10 certification while emphasizing his hunger for what comes next, calling it “just scratching the surface.”

Tavon Williams Electrical apprentice, MC Dean · OSHA 10 certification · YAP 2026 graduate

Eligibility

Who can apply

Six things have to be true. Check each one against your own situation.

  • Be a resident of the District of Columbia.
  • Be legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • Be a graduating senior enrolled in a District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) or District of Columbia Public Charter Schools (DCPCS) high school.
  • Be able to transition to a half-day academic schedule by January of their senior year, with verification provided by a school counselor or designated school representative.
  • Meet any additional qualifications or requirements established by the participating employer.
  • Be prepared to commit to a 200-hour paid on-the-job training program, running February to May 2027 at up to 16 hours per week, followed by full-time employment opportunities.

Employers have their own requirements on top of these.

If you are under 18

Parent consent form

A parent or guardian signs it, and you upload it with your application. PDF · 317 KB

Download

For the medical occupations

DC Health universal health certificate

Needed if you are applying for a medical role, such as medical assistant. PDF · 1.2 MB

Download

Apprentices at work

Today’s apprentices, tomorrow’s leaders

  • A cohort of youth apprentices in high-visibility vests and hard hats, gathered together on a construction site.
  • Two apprentices in gowns, masks and gloves standing beside a hospital bed in an allied health skills lab.
  • An apprentice in an MC Dean hard hat and gloves preparing fibre at a fusion splicer.
  • Apprentices in high-visibility vests and red hard hats gathered at a wall during a site walk.
  • Apprentices in high-visibility vests inspecting timber formwork on a site visit.
  • Apprentices in scrubs and gowns working through a practical exercise in a nursing skills lab.
  • An apprentice working inside an electrical panel board.
  • Apprentices in high-visibility vests and hard hats watching a demonstration beside heavy equipment.
  • Two apprentices marking out a length of timber on sawhorses on a stadium concourse.
  • A fibre fusion splicer open on a workbench as an apprentice prepares a splice.
  • A cohort of health apprentices in scrubs standing together in front of a DC Advanced Technical Center banner.
  • An apprentice in a hard hat and high-visibility vest running fibre at a training station.
  • Apprentices trying hand tools at an outdoor workbench.
  • A large cohort of apprentices in high-visibility vests and hard hats posed together indoors.
  • Apprentices in scrubs practising patient care around a hospital bed in a skills lab.
  • An apprentice marking out a layout against a plywood wall.
  • Apprentices in high-visibility vests and hard hats walking a construction site under an open sky.
  • An apprentice in a hard hat and high-visibility vest wiring a control panel.
  • An apprentice in a gown, mask, goggles and gloves pulling on a second glove beside a hospital bed in an allied health skills lab.
  • An apprentice seated at a fibre splicing bench in a hard hat and high-visibility vest.

Questions

What applicants ask

How do I become a youth apprentice?

Applications for the Spring 2027 Youth Apprenticeship Program open on September 21, 2026.

The application process may take up to 30 minutes to complete and requires the upload of eligibility documents. You may save your progress and return to the application at any time before submitting it.

If you need assistance completing the application, please contact a school advisor, family member, or a member of the DOES team. Once you create an account, you will receive text and/or email notifications regarding your application and completion status.

Please note that this is a first-come, first-served program, and enrollment is limited to 100 qualified participants.

What are the benefits of becoming a youth apprentice?

Three things, in the order they matter: you are paid for your on-the-job training, you leave with an industry-recognized credential, and you stand a strong chance of being hired by your host employer or one of our partner employers.

That last one is not a promise. It is the standard the program sets for itself and measures against: 80% of apprentices attaining their credential, and 70% receiving a job offer.

Along the way you build technical and professional skills, and real connections with people already working in your field.

How long is the Youth Apprenticeship Program?

The Youth Apprenticeship Program runs from February to May 2027. Apprentices work up to 16 hours per week.

The program includes 200 hours of paid on-the-job training, combined with technical classroom instruction, providing participants with practical work experience and industry-related education.

Will I get paid during the Youth Apprenticeship Program?

Yes. Selected participants are eligible to receive bi-weekly wages beginning at $18.40 per hour, working up to 16 hours per week, while enrolled in the program.

If I am accepted, am I guaranteed a job?

No, employment is not guaranteed. What you get instead is a case manager who works with you on it: supportive services, job resources, and word of upcoming hiring fairs.

And you apply from a strong position. Between the hands-on experience, the credential and the employers already engaged with the program, apprentices who finish are highly competitive candidates. A 70% job offer rate is the standard the program works to — it is not a guarantee of an offer to any one apprentice.

Will my high school schedule change?

Yes. Students who are accepted into the Youth Apprenticeship Program will have their academic schedules adjusted to accommodate technical instruction and on-the-job training requirements. All eligible participants must have a half-day school schedule and complete ALL graduation requirements (for example, volunteer hours) prior to starting the program.

High school counselors and career coordinators will work closely with participants to ensure they remain on track to meet graduation requirements while successfully completing all Youth Apprenticeship Program requirements.

Hiring process

From application to placement

  1. Step 1

    Apply

    Interested students must apply through the Skills Nation website and provide all required supporting documentation.

  2. Step 2

    Interview

    After applications are reviewed, eligible candidates will be scheduled for interviews with participating program sponsors.

  3. Step 3

    Acceptance

    Selected candidates will receive an official acceptance notification from DOES via email.

  4. Step 4

    Training

    Accepted participants will begin program training and engage in career development activities designed to support future employment and advancement opportunities.

The team

Meet the people behind the program

Start your application

Applications for Youth Apprenticeship are handled online. Create an account, choose this program, and the DOES team picks it up from there.

Apply Now

Questions before you apply? Sierra Gladney sierra.gladney2@dc.gov 202.698.3599 Erica Thomas erica.thomas@dc.gov 202.550.7310