First-year teachers understandably feel nervous and overwhelmed walking into their classroom for the first time, realizing the weight of responsibility that comes along with their role. After all, student academic and socio-emotional growth and success lie in the hands of the educator leading the room. That’s why participating in an apprenticeship program can be so important.

Currently, prospective teachers have a few different pathways to enter the profession. There is the traditional route, which usually means majoring in education at an undergraduate university. For candidates like me who didn’t decide until later to become a teacher, this option is no longer available. 

There’s also what’s typically referred to as the “emergency” route, where candidates with a bachelor’s degree become provisionally certified while leading a classroom of their own and taking coursework to become certified while they teach. This is difficult to do, even in the best of circumstances, and I knew it would be best if I entered the profession with more support.

Enter teacher apprenticeships. Aspiring educators who have completed a year-long teaching apprenticeship prior to becoming a certified teacher transition into their first year of teaching with confidence and ease, and are well-prepared with classroom routines, structure and experience.

Michigan has faced a teacher shortage for several years, yet the traditional path to becoming an educator remains challenging. With rising tuition costs, most aspiring educators must take out substantial loans, often balancing their studies with full- or part-time jobs just to make ends meet. In October 2024 however, the Michigan Department of Education reported a 71% increase in enrollment for teacher preparation programs since 2016.

The Michigan Department of Labor attributes this growth to a range of efforts across the state including “Grow Your Own” initiatives. Thanks to Talent Together, one of the nation’s largest “Grow Your Own” programs focused on removing barriers for current and future educators, many are now teaching or on the path to teaching.

An impactful and vital part of the Talent Together program is the year-long apprenticeship it requires in a classroom alongside a mentor teacher. This “old-is-new-again” approach has continued to have a profound impact on teacher candidates. Traditionally, apprenticeship opportunities have been associated with skilled trades, such as carpentry, plumbing or manufacturing. The Michigan Center for Data and Analytics reported in 2021 that of the 18,600 active registered apprentices, 81.9% were in construction and manufacturing. Educational apprenticeships have been less common, until programs like Talent Together began pioneering this model, that provides invaluable classroom experience in a supportive and real-world environment. As an apprentice teacher, candidates learn all the intricacies to running a classroom and working within a school.

Apprentices are paired with a mentor teacher, not just to observe, but to work as co-teachers. This approach allows apprentices to receive immediate feedback and develop crucial teaching skills over the course of an entire school year.

It’s not just aspiring teachers that benefit from this model, as it’s incredibly effective for schools and, most importantly, students too. Schools participating in teaching apprenticeships can fill critical positions with passionate and well-prepared candidates already invested in their communities. Mentor teachers often feel more fulfilled with newly sharpened skills, leading to higher retention rates. For students, this stability and access to consistent, high-quality teaching directly supports their success.  

Initiatives like Talent Together help build a more diverse workforce by removing barriers and providing support for eager individuals to enter the field. During a time when Michigan still faces a significant shortage of teachers, innovative solutions like alternative teacher preparation programs and registered apprenticeships are growing the educator pipeline and providing opportunities for future educators to be well-prepared. This model strengthens not only the teaching profession but also students, their schools and their communities.

Calvin Smothers is a first-year teacher at Donley Elementary School in East Lansing Public Schools.