Launch a Nursing Apprenticeship Pathway

Strengthen retention and practice readiness with a standards-based Registered Apprenticeship model offering earn-and-learn opportunities for learners.

Start small and scale easily with the free data platform for apprenticeships.

What is a Registered Apprenticeship?

A Registered Apprenticeship combines paid, structured on-the-job learning, mentorship, progressive wage increases, and aligned classroom instruction—built on high-quality standards.

It is not a residency program and not unpaid clinical rotations.

Why this model now?

Nursing workforce challenges are often retention challenges. Apprenticeship pathways help employers build “grow-your-own” pipelines, support learners who need to earn while they learn, and create clearer alignment between education and practice.

Turnover can cost up to $82,000 per nurse, making retention gains meaningful.

How It Works

1. Pilot cohort: start small, maintain existing curriculum, strengthen competency alignment and co-evaluation.

2. Evaluate: track outcomes and operational learning.

3. Scale: expand to additional cohorts and partners based on results.

Who It's For

Why healthcare systems & talent are turning to apprenticeship models to fill gaps and create new pathways for homegrown talent.

Clinical Partners

Employers

Improve retention and stabilize staffing—especially where rural facilities can’t compete on salary alone. Turnover can cost up to $82,000 per nurse.

Nursing Programs

Higher Ed

Support working learners, strengthen clinical partnerships, and align competency evaluation with real practice needs.

Apprentices

Nurses

Earn income while progressing through structured clinical learning and support.

Featured Pilot: Arkansas

South Arkansas College and South Arkansas Regional Hospital

We’re supporting a pilot pathway launching June 2026, with South Arkansas College and South Arkansas Regional Hospital as early partners—designed as a replicable model for additional cohorts and partners.

South Arkansas College and South Arkansas Regional Hospital will collaborate and leverage the free Craft Connect platform to track learners & competency completion.

Launching June 2026

Currently Seeking Partners

Arkansas, Colorado, and Louisiana

If you’re a hospital/health system, nursing program, intermediary, or workforce organization interested in exploring a pilot pathway, we’d love to connect. Craft Education supports partner design and launch, including apprenticeship enablement and Craft Connect to track progress, simplify documentation, and support outcome reporting.

Explore Earn-to-Learn Nursing Pathways

Tell us about your organization and what you’re hoping to solve—retention, pipeline stability, learner access, or rural workforce development.

We'll follow up if it's a fit and set up time to review.

  • Current training program & applicability to Registered Apprenticeships
  • Guidance on curriculum changes (if needed)
  • The Craft Connect platform & tracking work-based learning
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FAQs

Learn how Craft workforce training tracking expands access to high-reward labor and learning pathways.

What is Craft Connect?

Craft Connect is a workforce training tracking platform that helps programs manage progress, outcomes, and compliance in one place.

Is this a residency?

No — Registered Apprenticeship is a paid, structured model with progressive wages and aligned instruction.

Do we need major curriculum changes?

The pilot approach is designed to maintain existing curriculum while strengthening alignment and competency co-evaluation.

Who can be the sponsor?

Employer, intermediary, or education partner; we help navigate the best path.