Gov. Little touts apprenticeships — and Launch

Kevin Richert | 11/02/2023

Gov. Brad Little touted Idaho’s growing apprenticeship programs Wednesday.

He also used the occasion to talk up one of his pet projects: the fledgling Idaho Launch post-high school incentives program.

Gov. Brad Little proclaimed November Idaho Apprenticeship Month at a Wednesday ceremony at Terry Reilly Health Services in Meridian. (Photo courtesy Gov. Brad Little’s office.)

“There are multiple pathways to success,” Little said Wednesday, at a proclamation ceremony in Meridian marking November as Idaho Apprenticeship Month. “We need more young Idahoans to go on to postsecondary education, and we’ve been very intentional about expanding ‘go-on’ to include opportunities outside of the traditional four-year college degree – including apprenticeships.”

Idaho now offers about 2,400 apprenticeships, a number that has increased by 40% over the past three years, according to a Wednesday news release from Little’s office.

The state has put more than $10 million into building apprenticeship programs over the past five years, and starting next year, the state will put about $75 million of additional money into Launch.

High school seniors can now apply for Launch grants of up to $8,000, which they can put toward two- or four-year college, career-technical education or worker training programs. Grants will go out next summer.

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 35 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. He can be reached at [email protected]