Florida’s apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs have reached new milestones, according to the Florida Department of Education’s 2024-2025 Annual Apprenticeship and Preapprenticeship Report. The announcement was made by Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas during Workforce Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee.
The report indicates that there are now more than 25,000 active apprentices and pre-apprentices across the state. Over the past year, more than 2,200 apprentices completed their programs and earned an average wage of nearly $28 per hour upon exit. There was also an 11% increase in the total number of active apprentices and pre-apprentices last year, contributing to a 70% rise in registered apprentices since Governor Ron DeSantis assumed office.
“These record apprenticeship and preapprenticeship numbers reflect the incredible success of Florida’s approach to workforce education,” said Commissioner 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 taking office, only a small number of new apprenticeship programs were registered each year. In contrast, over the last six years, Florida has seen substantial growth in its apprenticeship system.
State investments such as the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant have played a significant role in this expansion. The grant program has distributed $105 million so far, funding over 350 proposals and serving more than 20,000 participants statewide. These efforts have enabled students throughout Florida to access training methods that benefit both job seekers and businesses through various apprenticeship opportunities.
For further details on apprenticeship programs or to view the full annual report, information is available at apprenticefl.com and www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/research-evaluation/annual-app-reports.stml.
