"You don't need employers to have a seat at your table. You need to go to their table."
This reframe is transforming state apprenticeship programs. Instead of inviting employers to participate in education-centered systems, successful programs are redesigning around employer needs. The result? States like Alabama are seeing unprecedented growth by treating employers as customers, not stakeholders.
Meet the Expert Panel
- Josh Laney | Vice President of Apprenticeship and Work-Embedded Learning | Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN)
- Matt Tower | Vice President | Whiteboard Advisors
- Tony Davis | National Director of FAME USA | The Manufacturing Institute
- Zach Boren | Senior Vice President of Policy & Government Relations | Apprenticeships for America
- Patricia Saenz-Armstrong | Economist & Head of Data and Research Initiatives | Craft Education
The Problem with the "Stakeholder" Approach
The traditional model invites employers to advisory boards, asks for input during annual meetings, and hopes they participate in programs designed around educational structures. This treats employers as one voice among many, creating a fundamental disconnect where you're asking employers to fit into your system.
The result? Low employer buy-in and programs that struggle to scale. Without real-time data on what employers actually need, programs can't demonstrate value. Craft Connect's employer feedback system captures requirements as they evolve, helping leaders respond to industry demands before losing employer interest.
The Reframe—Employers as Customers
Alabama's approach represents a dramatic shift. "The state is so confident that you will like this, we're going to put some money on the table so that it offsets the risk for you to try a thing you haven't done before," explained a panelist.
Alabama learned this through failure. They copied South Carolina's successful tax incentive program, but it completely flopped. Why? Alabama's low tax burden meant delayed tax benefits didn't motivate action. So they pivoted to direct wage reimbursement for new or expanding programs—immediate value that spoke employers' language.
This isn't about employers feeling invested in your mission. It's about meeting their needs if you want engagement. This customer-first approach requires systems that adapt to employer workflows. Craft Connect's flexible tracking configures data collection around industry-specific needs while maintaining compliance in the background.
What "Going to Their Table" Actually Looks Like
The panel shared practical strategies:
Remove bureaucratic barriers. "Employers have no concern with the invisible lines of political subdivisions, service areas, or taxing districts," noted one speaker. Talent needs cross administrative boundaries.
Build employer collaboratives like the FAME model, where small and large employers access the same training for agreed-upon roles. This changes the dynamic from individual demands to collaborative problem-solving.
Use expansion incentives, not permanent subsidies. Alabama's wage reimbursement offsets risk for trying something new, with the expectation that employers continue after incentives end because the value works.
Cross-district employer partnerships need centralized tracking that doesn't constrain collaboration. Craft Connect enables multi-employer program management while respecting that talent needs cross jurisdictional boundaries.
The Registered Apprenticeship Advantage
Registered apprenticeships offer powerful advantages: automatic GI Bill and WIOA eligibility, precisely because apprentices are employees from day one. "The employer's got to put some in, the state's willing to put some in, the feds want to put some in. And it's 100% job placement," explained a panelist. This structure eliminates risk for all partners.
Managing multiple funding sources and compliance requirements becomes seamless when Craft Connect automates reporting for GI Bill, WIOA, and state-specific programs, freeing staff to focus on employer relationships.
Making the Shift
The fundamental insight is clear: stop asking employers to come to your table. Go to theirs with solutions designed around their needs. This means pivoting when incentives don't work, ignoring administrative boundaries that don't matter to employers, and measuring success by program continuation, not advisory board attendance.
How Craft Connect Supports the Employer-First Model
Craft Connect is a free apprenticeship data management platform designed for this employer-first approach. When you go to employers' tables, you need tools that track what matters to them—real-time progress dashboards, compliance automation that doesn't slow them down, and feedback systems that show you're listening.
Whether you're managing wage incentive programs, coordinating multi-employer collaboratives, or braiding funding from multiple sources, Craft Connect provides the infrastructure to be genuinely customer-focused while maintaining compliance rigor.
Ready to transform your employer engagement strategy? Schedule a demo to see how Craft Connect supports the customer-first apprenticeship model driving results across states.
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