Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining colleagues from across the world in Oxford, England, for the annual convening of the International Center for Apprenticeship Degrees (ICAD). ICAD and Reach University welcomed 140 leaders from across the globe, spanning policy, post-secondary, philanthropy, employers, and K-12. The topic on our minds? Transforming the world of work and learning, primarily through the burgeoning model of the “apprenticeship degree” – a testament to how college and career readiness does not have to be a dichotomy for workers and learners of the 21st century.

Oxford was a particularly fitting location for the conversation. Oxford University has long stood as a global pillar of academia, its name synonymous with scholarship and intellectual excellence. But walking through the city, past the iconic stone towers, courtyards, and stained-glass windows, another truth stood out: none of this beauty exists without skilled trades, craftsmanship, and master apprentices. The architecture itself is a testimony that higher learning and hands-on skills have never been separate paths, but complementary ones.

That insight framed the conversation in Oxford. Across the globe, apprenticeship degrees are challenging the false choice between “college readiness” and “career readiness.” They are showing that a high-quality degree can, and often should, be earned in partnership with the workplace. As I walked away from the convening, one thing became clear: if we are serious about solving our affordability crisis, closing talent gaps, and driving economic mobility, the U.S. needs to take apprenticeship degrees seriously.

The Global Apprenticeship Degree Movement

An Apprenticeship Degree is designed for working adults, combining classroom learning with hands-on training, so learners earn a degree while gaining real-world experience. The idea of linking higher education to the workplace is not new. In fact, several countries have made it central to their systems.

• England has rolled out “degree apprenticeships” across a wide range of fields — engineering, health care, digital, even law/legal studies. Students split their time between work and study, but crucially, the employer is a full partner with the university in delivering the learning.

• Germany’s dual system has long been a gold standard: apprentices split time between vocational schools and paid work placements, with employers deeply invested in skill development. This model produces some of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the world.

• Australia has expanded work-based learning degrees tied to national qualification frameworks, creating a smoother bridge from entry-level jobs to degree-bearing programs.

What unites these approaches is the belief that practical work is not a distraction from higher education, but rather the foundation of it. Eric Dunker, co-founder of the National Center for Apprenticeship Degrees (NCAD), notes that “the classroom of the future is the worksite.”

When the worksite is treated as the primary classroom, students graduate with not just theory, but competencies employers trust. Outcomes speak for themselves: higher completion rates, lower debt, and faster entry into well-paying careers.

Why This Matters for the U.S.

The United States is facing a convergence of challenges. Student debt has surpassed $1.7 trillion, leaving too many graduates financially burdened for decades. Higher education enrollment has declined steadily over the past decade, especially in community colleges and regional universities. Employers continue to struggle to find skilled talent, particularly in critical fields like health care, teaching, and technology.

Traditional higher education models are not solving these problems at the pace we need. Apprenticeship degrees offer a compelling alternative:

• Accessible: Students earn a paycheck while they study, lowering the financial barriers that keep many from pursuing college.

• Affordable: Tuition costs are significantly reduced because employers co-invest in the education.

• Aligned: Programs are designed with industry, ensuring graduates have skills that match real jobs.

So, what exactly does an apprenticeship degree look like in practice? Imagine a nursing student in Pennsylvania. Instead of sitting in a classroom for two years before setting foot in a hospital, that student is hired as an apprentice from day one. They split their week between coursework (delivered by a partner college) and supervised work in the hospital. Each skill learned on the job is directly tied to competencies required for the degree. The result? A debt-light, workforce-ready graduate who has already proven themselves in the field.

This model offers powerful benefits:

• For learners: Earn while you learn, build a resume as you build credits, and graduate without the crushing burden of debt.

• For employers: Create a talent pipeline customized to your needs, reduce turnover, and increase employee loyalty.

• For higher education: Innovate beyond the classroom, reach new learners, and demonstrate clear return on investment to skeptical families.

Registered Apprenticeships in the U.S. already provide pathways into trades and technical careers. Apprenticeship degrees expand that promise into degree-bearing professions — from teachers to behavioral health specialists to IT professionals.

The public workforce system also has a critical role to play in making apprenticeship degrees a reality in the U.S. Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) can serve as the connective tissue, helping to align employers, higher education, and community partners. The apprenticeship degree shows that the system of higher education and workforce development is uniquely positioned to leverage WIOA funding to support tuition, supportive services, and wraparound resources for apprentices. There is also a need for national leaders to advocate for policy change, including the expansion of Pell Grants to cover short-term and competency-based programs, and flexibility in accreditation for work-based models.

The Path Forward

If the Oxford conference made anything clear, it is that apprenticeship degrees are not theoretical. They are working models that have scaled across entire nations. The United States does not need to reinvent the wheel, but we do need to adapt it to our context.

Here’s what it will take:

• Higher education innovation: Colleges must be willing to design programs where the worksite is not just a placement but the primary classroom.

• Employer leadership: Businesses must invest in education as a talent strategy, not just as philanthropy.

• Policy support: Federal and state leaders must enable funding streams, accreditation, and financial aid to flex around these models.

• Workforce partnerships: WDBs must coordinate and scale efforts, ensuring equity, access, and alignment to regional labor market needs.

Some of the conversations at ICAD also acknowledged some of the challenges in bringing an apprenticeship degree model to the United States. Many of the conference thought-leaders noted that the term “apprenticeship” has connotations that are not always conducive to higher education because of previous associations with skilled trades. The United Kingdom has recently established a levy (tax) on all companies with more than $3M in payroll to fund apprenticeships – a tax that would be rather unlikely in the United States.

However, there is no denying the fact that there are critical conversations happening across the country about the future of work and learning. Questions such as, “Are there high-quality pathways to good jobs that don’t put students in tremendous debt?” Apprenticeship degrees are not the only answer, but part of a larger conversation and toolbox of solutions that have the promise of fundamentally shifting the way we think about jobs and learning.

Walking the historic halls of Oxford, surrounded by leaders shaping the future of work and learning, I was reminded of how the university itself embodies the very idea we are discussing. Its scholarly legacy is housed in buildings crafted by artisans, stonemasons, and apprentices whose skill endures centuries later. Interesting, in a place as beautiful and historic as Oxford, I see a path forward where there is no perceived dichotomy between academia and craftsmanship, but rather a single path that blends the two together.

That is exactly the vision apprenticeship degrees bring to higher education today. They remind us that knowledge and skill are not separate tracks but parts of the same whole, and that the workplace can be as formative a classroom as the lecture hall. If Oxford’s legacy tells us anything, it’s that when higher learning and skilled apprenticeship come together, the results can stand the test of time.

Jesse McCree, Senior Advisor

Jesse McCree is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for South Central PA Works, a regional workforce development board that has invested over $100 million in public/private funding to drive economic mobility. Jesse is an advisor to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.