The Key to Educator Shortages May be in the Building: Study.com Survey Finds District Employees Believe Apprenticeship Programs can Close Gaps

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. , May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As educator shortages continue to plague districts across the country – across urban and rural districts – the solution could be in plain sight. According to a recent Study.com survey of employees in K-12 school districts, 75% of respondents indicated they believe teacher apprenticeships can help address educator shortages in their respective schools or districts. Additionally, two-thirds of district employees view apprenticeship programs as a viable option to becoming a classroom teacher.

The challenge is lack of awareness of offerings in schools and districts: More than half of respondents (57%) reported they were unsure if their school or district offered apprenticeship programs. Teacher apprenticeship programs have expanded to 45 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. With more than 675,000 active apprentices in 2025, survey respondents have a positive perception of those programs despite their level of knowledge on a local level.

Even still, the survey found that district employees believe apprenticeship programs offer tremendous benefits to those educator candidates interested in becoming a classroom teacher, including:

• 60.3% of respondents noted the ability to earn a salary while you learn
• 42.3% indicated the opportunity to follow a low or no cost pathway to certification
• 39.4% report the benefit of direct hands-on classroom experience

"The growth of teacher apprenticeship programs has exploded in the past few years with more educator candidates looking for alternative programs to entering the classroom," explained Dana Bryson, SVP of Social Impact, Study.com. "The increase in teacher shortages combined with the number of Americans looking for career workforce pathways through apprenticeships is reaching a perfect storm. Our role is to provide schools, districts and educator candidates with the tools and resources needed to be successful in their certification exams."

In fact, the cost of certification (including for courses and exams) is the number one barrier for respondents not entering an apprenticeship program:

• 32% indicated the cost of certification as a top concern
• 28% reported concern about the time commitment
• 20% referenced the need to balance family or personal responsibilities

There remains an opportunity though to encourage potential candidates to pursue an educator apprenticeship program. Among the factors respondents indicated would make them take the next step include:

• 53% indicated wanting financial incentives
• 45% asked for guaranteed job placement after certification
• 42% said paid time to study would make a difference
• 22% cited access to exam prep tools and resources

The survey indicates that school staff already have the passion, perspective and proximity to make a difference in the classroom given the right resources and support. Teacher apprenticeship programs can transform school employees into certified teachers that can help address existing shortages.

Methodology

The "Teacher Apprenticeship" survey was conducted online from April 28 – May 14, 2025, and included 416 K-12 school and district employees across the country (not including certified teachers). For a full version of the report, please visit: https://study.com/resources/teacher-shortage-solution-apprenticeships.html.

About Study.com

Study.com opens the door to the life-changing impact of education for more than 34 million learners and educators a month through its award-winning online learning platform for K12 curriculum, college courses and test preparation. With learners and educators in more than 11,000 school districts nationwide, Study.com is recognized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for meeting Level IV evidence standards. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Study.com has been honored as one of the world's most innovative companies by Fast Company and included in the GSV150, celebrating the world's most transformative private companies in education, for the last four consecutive years. The company has donated $29 million across social impact programs committed to increasing educational equity. These programs include Working Scholars®, an accelerated pathway for working adults to earn a debt-free bachelor's degree; College Saver, which has saved students more than $475 million in tuition costs, and Keys to the Classroom, which seeks to help aspiring educators prepare for and pass their teacher certification exams.

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SOURCE Study.com