Why Healthcare Employers Are Turning to Apprenticeship Programs
Healthcare apprenticeship programs give employers a practical way to train people while they gain experience on the job. Instead of completing all their education before starting work, apprentices can build important skills while working in a healthcare setting.
So, how do these programs work, and why are more healthcare employers considering them?
This guide explains the apprenticeship model, the role of Related Technical Instruction (RTI), and how employers can use apprenticeships to prepare workers for allied health careers.
What Is a Healthcare Apprenticeship Program?
A healthcare apprenticeship is a structured training model that allows someone to work while developing the knowledge and practical skills needed for a healthcare occupation.
Apprenticeships combine employment with education and workplace learning. While the exact structure can vary by occupation and program, most include several core components:
The specific requirements and structure of a healthcare apprenticeship can vary by occupation, employer, program, and state.
Healthcare Apprenticeships vs. Internships vs. Externships
Apprenticeships, internships, and externships can all provide workplace experience, but they serve different purposes. Here’s a quick look at how they compare.
| Comparison | Apprenticeship | Internship | Externship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Structured occupational training | Professional experience | Practical exposure or clinical experience |
| Employment | Employment-based | Varies | Usually tied to education or training |
| On-the-job learning | Structured | Varies | Program-specific |
| Related Technical Instruction (RTI) | Yes | Typically no | Typically no |
| Duration | Defined program period | Varies | Often shorter |
| Primary outcome | Develop occupational competencies | Gain professional experience | Gain practical experience |
How Does a Healthcare Apprenticeship Work?
Healthcare apprenticeships combine employment, instruction, and workplace learning within the same training program. Instead of completing all education first and gaining experience later, apprentices generally learn while they work. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship model includes paid employment, structured on-the-job learning, mentorship, and related instruction.
On-the-Job Learning
Paid Employment
In a Registered Apprenticeship, apprentices are employees who earn wages while participating in the program. This allows them to gain work experience while developing new occupational skills.
Learn more about apprenticeship employment from Apprenticeship.govOn-the-Job Learning
Employers provide structured workplace learning so apprentices can practice and develop the skills required for their occupation. This learning takes place under the guidance of experienced workers or mentors.
Related Technical Instruction
Related Technical Instruction (RTI) provides the educational knowledge that supports what apprentices are learning in the workplace. Instruction may be delivered in person or online, depending on the program.
See the core components of a Registered ApprenticeshipMentorship and Program Milestones
Apprentices receive supervision as they develop their skills and progress through the program. Defined competencies, training requirements, and program milestones help employers and apprentices track that progress.
For employers, this structure connects education directly with workplace experience. Rather than separating training from employment, apprentices can develop knowledge and practical skills as part of the same pathway.
What Is Related Technical Instruction (RTI)?
Related Technical Instruction (RTI) is the educational portion of an apprenticeship. It teaches the knowledge apprentices need alongside the practical skills they develop through on-the-job learning.
In a healthcare apprenticeship, the exact instruction depends on the occupation and program. RTI may cover topics such as:
How Does RTI Support On-the-Job Learning?
RTI and on-the-job learning serve different purposes, but they are designed to work together throughout an apprenticeship.
Teaches the knowledge and concepts apprentices need to understand their role.
Gives apprentices opportunities to apply and develop those skills in the workplace.
Who Provides Related Technical Instruction?
Employers do not necessarily have to build and deliver the educational portion of an apprenticeship themselves. They can work with an education or training provider to deliver RTI while the employer oversees on-the-job learning and workplace supervision.
For healthcare employers, working with a training provider can provide the educational component needed to complement the skills apprentices develop in the workplace.
Learn more about Registered Apprenticeship programs through Apprenticeship.gov or explore Advanced eClinical Training’s workforce development partnerships .
Which Allied Health Roles Can Apprenticeship Programs Support?
Healthcare apprenticeship programs can support a range of allied health occupations by pairing relevant education with supervised workplace learning. The exact structure depends on the role and apprenticeship program.
Medical Assistants
Medical assisting education can be paired with supervised workplace learning involving clinical and administrative skills, such as patient intake, vital signs, clinical procedures, and medical office responsibilities.
Explore ACT’s Medical Assistant program →Patient Care Technicians
Apprenticeship training can combine patient care education with practical workplace experience, allowing participants to develop relevant skills under appropriate supervision.
Explore ACT’s Patient Care Technician program →Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy technician education can support workplace learning in areas such as medication processes, pharmacy operations, safety, and role-specific knowledge, along with certification preparation where applicable.
Explore ACT’s Pharmacy Technician program →Phlebotomy Technicians
Phlebotomy education may cover blood collection, specimen handling, patient identification, infection control, and safety while appropriate practical skills are developed through supervised experience.
Explore ACT’s Phlebotomy program →What Does an Employer Need to Start a Healthcare Apprenticeship?
Starting a healthcare apprenticeship begins with identifying the role you need to train for and then building the workplace learning and instruction around it. Employers can use the following steps to begin planning a program.
Choose the Occupation
Start with the healthcare role the apprenticeship will prepare participants for. Choosing a specific occupation makes it easier to determine the training, workplace experience, and skills the program will need to cover.
Define the Skills and Competencies
Determine what apprentices should know and be able to do by the end of the program. Employer-specific expectations should be separated from qualifications or credentials required by applicable laws, regulations, certification organizations, or professional standards.
Plan the On-the-Job Learning
Map out how apprentices will develop their practical skills in the workplace.
- What apprentices will learn at work
- Who will supervise them
- How skills will be taught
- How progress will be documented
Select an RTI Provider
Choose an education or training provider that can deliver Related Technical Instruction relevant to the occupation and coordinate that instruction with the apprenticeship structure.
Education + Workplace LearningEmployers can work with organizations such as Advanced eClinical Training to provide RTI for allied health apprenticeship programs while the employer oversees workplace learning.
Establish Program Requirements
Define what participants will need to complete as they move through the apprenticeship.
- Eligibility
- Employment requirements
- Related Technical Instruction
- On-the-job learning
- Supervision
- Required competencies
- Certification requirements, where applicable
- Completion requirements
Coordinate With Apprenticeship and Workforce Partners
Depending on the program, employers may work with apprenticeship intermediaries, workforce development organizations, government agencies, education providers, or other partners to help establish and operate the apprenticeship.
Identify or Recruit Apprentices
Once the program structure is established, determine where eligible apprentices will come from.
- New hires
- Current employees
- Workforce program participants
- Community or workforce partner referrals
Employers do not have to manage every part of an apprenticeship alone. The workplace, education, and workforce components can be coordinated across different partners, allowing the employer to focus on providing meaningful on-the-job learning and supervision.
How Advanced eClinical Training Supports Allied Health Apprenticeships
Employers can provide the workplace portion of an apprenticeship, but they also need a structured educational component. Advanced eClinical Training works with employers and workforce organizations to support allied health apprenticeship programs through Related Technical Instruction.
Related Technical Instruction for Allied Health Apprenticeships
ACT can provide Related Technical Instruction that complements the on-the-job learning provided by healthcare employers. This allows the educational and workplace portions of the apprenticeship to support one another without requiring the employer to build the entire instructional curriculum internally.
Flexible Online Allied Health Education
ACT’s online format can allow apprentices to complete healthcare coursework while participating in employment and workplace learning. Online instruction supports the educational portion of the apprenticeship and does not replace any required hands-on or employer-based training.
National Certification Preparation
Where applicable, ACT programs prepare learners for relevant national certification exams through organizations such as NHA, PTCB, and AMCA. Certification requirements vary by occupation and apprenticeship program.
Multiple Allied Health Training Pathways
Employers can work with ACT across several allied health training areas, including:
Workforce Development Partnerships
ACT works with employers and workforce organizations on healthcare training, apprenticeship-related RTI, and other workforce development initiatives. These partnerships can help organizations coordinate the educational side of an apprenticeship with the training employees receive in the workplace.
Learn more about ACT’s workforce development partnerships .
Build an Allied Health Apprenticeship Program With ACT
Looking for an education partner for an allied health apprenticeship program? ACT can provide Related Technical Instruction and flexible healthcare education to complement your organization’s on-the-job learning.
Explore ACT’s Workforce Development PartnershipsIs a Healthcare Apprenticeship Right for Your Organization?
A healthcare apprenticeship may be worth exploring if your organization:
- ✓ Regularly hires for the same allied health roles
- ✓ Can provide structured on-the-job learning
- ✓ Has staff available to supervise or mentor apprentices
- ✓ Wants employees to learn while working
- ✓ Needs a provider for Related Technical Instruction (RTI)
- ✓ Wants clearly defined training and skill milestones
- ✓ Has access to workforce or apprenticeship partners
Healthcare apprenticeships bring employment, education, and workplace learning together in one training model. Employers provide real-world experience and supervision, while education and workforce partners can support the instruction apprentices need to build the knowledge and skills required for their roles.
FAQs about Healthcare Apprenticeship Programs
A healthcare apprenticeship combines employment, structured on-the-job learning, and related instruction to help apprentices develop the knowledge and skills needed for a healthcare occupation.
Registered Apprenticeships are paid. Apprentices work for an employer and earn wages while completing on-the-job learning and related instruction.
Related Technical Instruction, or RTI, is the educational portion of an apprenticeship. It teaches the knowledge that supports the practical skills apprentices develop through on-the-job learning.
An apprenticeship is an employment-based training model with structured on-the-job learning and related instruction. Internships generally focus on gaining professional experience, while externships typically provide shorter-term practical or clinical experience. Specific arrangements can vary by employer and program.
Yes. Depending on the apprenticeship program, RTI can be delivered online. Any required hands-on or workplace learning still needs to be completed separately as required by the program.
Advanced eClinical Training can work with employers and workforce organizations to provide Related Technical Instruction for allied health apprenticeship programs. ACT offers online healthcare education and certification preparation that can complement an employer’s on-the-job learning.
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