High schoolers start college for free in new Wake program — and get paid, too
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- Wake Tech and Wake County will launch the WakeWorks Youth Apprenticeship Academy.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies gave $4 million to fund stipends, books, tools, wages, and staff.
- The first cohort of 60 students will begin apprenticeships in January 2027.
A new opportunity for upperclassmen in Wake County high schools is in the works. The school system is partnering with Wake Tech Community College to launch an apprenticeship program for high school students, providing hands-on experience in the skilled trades for juniors and seniors in Wake County.
That experience comes with the added bonuses of college credit and paychecks.
The program, dubbed WakeWorks Youth Apprenticeship Academy, is funded with a $4 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Students in the program will pursue apprenticeships with plumbers, welders, electricians, carpenters, automotive technicians, construction workers, HVAC technicians and more.
An apprentice learns a trade or craft on the job while simultaneously receiving classroom instruction. In North Carolina, apprenticeships are registered, or considered official, when they are administered by the Community College System.
In their junior year, students in the program take tuition-free courses at Wake Tech and earn a stipend while exploring possible career options. In their senior year, students begin a Registered Youth Apprenticeship, which means they stay in school while earning wages in the trade of their choice.
Wake Tech president Scott Ralls calls the program “a powerful new model that allows students to begin building meaningful careers while still in high school.”
After graduation, students have three main options: continue the apprenticeship, complete a degree at Wake Tech, or enter the workforce.
In its announcement about the program, Wake Tech cited workforce deficiencies in North Carolina’s skilled trades sector. The construction industry, for example, is projected to add 12,800 jobs by 2034, according to the North Carolina Commerce Department.
“Our county is growing by 24,000 people each year, creating a strong demand for services in the skilled trades,” Wake County Board of Commissioners chair Don Mial wrote in a statement. “Extending this talent pipeline will help teens discover these high-demand fields even sooner and gain the experience they need to land jobs after graduation.”
The $4 million Bloomberg gift will fund student stipends, books, tools, advising, transportation, employer wage subsidies, and pay for instructors and other staff, Wake Tech says.
The first cohort of 60 students will start their apprenticeships in January 2027. In three years, the program is expected to serve 250 students. Recruitment and applications will open this fall.
This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "High schoolers start college for free in new Wake program — and get paid, too."
