Apprentice Ambassadors

Apprentice Ambassadors 2025

What Is An Apprentice Ambassador?

Do you have a star apprentice? Let’s make them an Apprentice Ambassador!

The Apprentice Ambassador Program selects a yearly cohort of Illinois apprentices and recent apprentice graduates to represent a breadth of industries, occupations, and geographic areas.

Each Ambassador is supported by a representative member of their business, their “employer sponsor,” to guide them along the way. They are also strategically paired with a member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board's (IWIB) Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (WBLA) Committee to provide them with one-on-one mentorship and networking opportunities.

The cohort receives professional development in public speaking, public relations, essential employability skills, and financial literacy, among other areas, to equip them to speak at business engagement events throughout the state.

Ambassadors are also featured on local radio shows, online articles, and podcasts to help spread the word about the apprenticeship model.

This is a no-cost program. Businesses are encouraged to sponsor the Ambassador's travel to speaking engagements. Speaking engagements are voluntary and subject to the Ambassador's availability.

What Is The Goal?

Right now, demand for apprenticeships is outpacing supply. More people want in than there are spots available.

That’s where Apprentice Ambassadors step up. By sharing their real-life journeys, they show that apprenticeships aren’t more than just jobs: they are powerful pathways to family-sustaining careers and a pipeline of high-skill, in-demand talent for businesses.

The mission? Grow more high-quality apprenticeship opportunities and open more doors for Illinoisans ready to build their future.

The Apprentice Perspective Podcast

We will be launching a podcast in 2026: The Apprentice Perspective. Episodes will be available on all your favorite streaming services.

Each Ambassador will be featured in a 15-20-minute interview to discuss their story. Each season will follow a cohort. Each episode will feature guest hosts who are leaders in business, workforce development, education, and more in Illinois.

Stay tuned for more information.