Florida’s Registered Apprenticeship System has reached new heights, according to the Florida Department of Education’s 2024-2025 Annual Apprenticeship and Preapprenticeship Report. The report, released on Workforce Day at the Capitol, shows more than 25,000 active apprentices and pre-apprentices statewide. Over the past year, more than 2,200 apprentices completed their programs and earned an average wage of nearly $28 per hour upon completion.
The state saw an 11% increase in active apprentices and pre-apprentices last year alone. Since Governor Ron DeSantis took office, there has been a 70% rise in registered apprentices.
“These record apprenticeship and preapprenticeship numbers reflect the incredible success of Florida’s approach to workforce education,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Governor DeSantis’ vision for expanding career and technical education has created life-changing opportunities for Floridians to learn, earn and advance in high-demand industries.”
Prior to Governor DeSantis’ administration, only a small number of new apprenticeship programs were added each year. In contrast, the past six years have seen significant growth in these programs across Florida.
A key driver behind this expansion is the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant initiative. So far, $105 million has been distributed through this program, funding over 350 proposals and serving more than 20,000 participants. This investment aims to give students throughout Florida access to effective training methods that support both job seekers and businesses.
Further details about apprenticeship opportunities can be found at apprenticefl.com. The full annual report is available at www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/research-evaluation/annual-app-reports.stml.
