Apply for the Success through College Apprenticeship and Learning Experiences (SCALE) Cohort

The Success through College Apprenticeship and Learning Experiences (SCALE) cohort is a selective, 2.5-year opportunity for community and technical colleges to strengthen how they attract, support, and improve outcomes for apprentices, particularly learners from low-income and rural backgrounds.

Hosted by the American Institutes for Research^® (AIR^®) with support from Ascendium Education Group, the SCALE cohort will bring together eight community and technical colleges from across the country to examine the apprentice experience, address barriers to apprentice success, strengthen the use of data for decision-making, and test practical improvements in policy and practice. SCALE is designed for colleges that currently serve as a sponsor or intermediary sponsor for at least one Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP).

Selected colleges will receive individualized coaching, participate in a national peer-learning community, and work with AIR to develop an apprentice journey map and a college-specific Learning & Action Plan, then implement and refine the plan over time. Through these activities, colleges will identify opportunities to improve apprentice recruitment, persistence, completion, and post-program outcomes and strengthen their ability to use data for continuous improvement.

Each selected college will receive a $50,000 stipend in recognition of the time, expertise, and institutional commitment it contributes to SCALE and to support team members' travel to two in-person SCALE cohort meetings.

The SCALE cohort will launch in February 2027 and continue through fall 2029.