I AM A CAREER CHANGER
Discover if Registered Apprenticeship is the right choice for you and learn from other apprentices how rewarding it can be!
Why Apprenticeship?
You don’t need construction experience to start an apprenticeship. You need a willingness to learn, the ability to show up, and a desire to build something real.
People switch to the trades from all kinds of background — retail, food service, office work, the military, or industries that don’t pay enough or offer room to grow. Data from the US Census Bureau shows the biggest moves from leisure and hospitality jobs. Wages back up the move: while retail and food service production workers made $24/hour on average in 2026, construction workers made $41. Compare up-to-date wages at bls.gov.
What your past experience gets you: You already have skills that matter in construction: teamwork, problem-solving, time management, helping people and working under pressure. Programs recognize transferable experience.
Career changers from food service know how to work under pressure and as part of a team. Retail workers know how to understand people, stay organized and handle conflict. Apprenticeship programs recognize past experience matters. Apprenticeship preparation programs can help you present that experience.
What apprentices are saying
"There's something for everyone as long as you're ready to work hard, be reliable, and rise to the challenge. Go for it!"
—Melanie, Puget Sound Electrical Apprentice
"This [pre-apprenticeship] program is crucial. It can give you a leg up... and has helped me so much."
—Natalie, Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training
apprenticeship in Washington by the numbers.
According to a recent report from the Construction Center of Excellence:
Of the 15,000+ active apprentices in Washington, more than 70% of them are in construction occupations.
Top construction occupations include more than 4,000 Laborers, 3,600+ Inside Wiremen and 2,900+ Carpenters.
61.4% of construction apprentices are White, 20.1% Hispanic, 5.7% Black or African American, 5.0% Multi Race, 2.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.1% Asian, 1.9% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 1.6% did not specify. 92.2% of apprentices are male, 7.7% female and .1% X/non-binary. Organizations like ANEW are working hard to bring more women into apprenticeship.
The average age of construction apprentices is 31.7, and 75% of apprentices are 36 or younger, showing how many apprentices are career changers.
High school graduates make up 57.4% of construction apprentices, 23.1% have experience in college, 10.7% earned a GED and 6.5% entered apprenticeship with only some high school education.
Veterans account for 8% of apprentices.
Take your next step towards apprenticeship by reviewing career pathways and looking at apprenticeship preparation programs.