Finding skilled workers remains one of the construction industry’s greatest challenges. Fortunately, employers don’t have to solve it alone — and the numbers back that up. Virginia’s Apprenticeship Council reports that for every dollar invested in Registered Apprenticeship, the Commonwealth sees roughly a 3-to-1 return in additional tax revenue and economic output — $6.8 million generated from just 2,203 program completers in fiscal year 2023 alone. Virginia now has more than 15,500 active apprentices, a 42% increase in recent years, and the state continues to invest in helping employers build these programs.
The Business Case, By the Numbers
This isn’t a soft benefit. It’s a measurable one:
- Retention: Roughly 90% of apprentices who complete a Registered Apprenticeship remain employed afterward — a real answer to one of construction’s most expensive problems, turnover.
- Wages: Completers earn an average of about $80,000 a year, a strong return for employers who trained that talent internally rather than competing for it on the open market.
- Funding: Through Virginia Works’ HIRED Fund, employers have been able to apply for reimbursement of up to $7,000 per apprentice ($3,500 for training costs, $3,500 for supportive services) to help offset the cost of launching or scaling a program. Funding rounds open periodically — we’ll share with our membership when the next one is live.
Every apprentice a company trains is also a federally recognized, portable credential — not an internal certificate — which means the investment holds its value even if that worker’s career takes them elsewhere in the industry.
Why Registered Apprenticeships Work
The most successful programs don’t end when a participant earns a credential. They combine classroom instruction with paid, hands-on experience, mentorship, and progressive wage growth tied to skill milestones. Apprentices keep learning while contributing to real projects — which means employers develop workers who understand their company’s culture, safety standards, and expectations from day one, instead of hiring that knowledge gap in from outside.
What Successful Programs Have in Common
While every apprenticeship program looks a little different, the strongest ones consistently share a few traits:
- Strong partnerships with education, workforce, and industry organizations.
- Experienced mentors who guide apprentices throughout their training.
- Clearly defined skill milestones and wage progression.
- Regular communication between employers and training providers.
- A workplace culture that treats apprentices as long-term investments, not temporary labor.
How NV3C Can Help
Launching a Registered Apprenticeship program takes real expertise — in program design, in state and federal registration, in funding applications. That’s not what NV3C does, and we won’t pretend otherwise. What we do is connect you to the people who do it well.
NV3C is a regional connector. We know the Registered Apprenticeship Consultants, training providers, and funding contacts across Northern Virginia, and we make the introduction — so your team spends its time talking to the right specialist, not searching for one. We also bring employers who are building or expanding programs into the same room, so companies further along can share what actually worked.
One conversation with us gets you pointed in the right direction. We’re not going to design your curriculum or write your grant application — but we’ll make sure you’re talking to someone who can
Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week
National Apprenticeship Week, observed each November, is a time to recognize the employers, educators, apprentices, and workforce partners building tomorrow’s skilled workforce.
If your company has considered starting or expanding a Registered Apprenticeship program, don’t wait for November. Email michelle@nv3c.org this week, and we’ll connect you directly with a Virginia Registered Apprenticeship Consultant and flag you for the next HIRED Fund application window. One email. One introduction. That’s the whole ask