Learning About the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center

States compete for employers on the strength of their talent pipelines. Youth apprenticeship is one tool for building that pipeline, but it usually sits with labor and education agencies rather than commerce. Brent Parton will discuss the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center, which launched its first cohort in May 2026, and what the model offers state economic development leaders. The session covers how the apprenticeship model connects employers to young workers, early results from the first cohort, and where commerce agencies can add value alongside their labor and education counterparts.